And Now for Something Completely Different
by GeminiCancer
Summary: A Harry Potter and Tin Man crossover.Slash Harry/Glitch/Cain. What if DG wasn't the only ozian to get sent to the other side. Harry gets sent to the O.Z. and tags along for the adventure.
1. End of Voldemort

**And Now for Something Completely Different**

A Harry Potter and Tin Man crossover. I haven't seen any of these and i wanted to read one so...I wrote one. Au from the battle in the ministry. Sirius still went through the veil, but doesn't die.

**Warnings: **Slash, man on man, threesomes. probably some violence, and bad language. So far no serious adult situations.

not beta'd but more because I'm not taking this story seriously then because i cant find one.

**Chapter 1**

Harry ran after Lestrange, heart speeding up to push the rage he felt through his whole bloodstream. He chased her out of the room with the veil and out into the atrium outside the Hall of Mysteries. He caught up with here there, his youthful body giving him the edge. All his pain and rage at the unexpected loss of his Godfather welled up in him and he pushed it through his wand.

"Crucio"

He hit her in the back and for one satisfying and horrifying moment, she screamed and writhed on the ground. Then, she stopped and laughed weakly. "You have to mean it Ickle Harrykins. You have to want to hurt me." Her laughter strengthened when she saw his horrified face, "What does it take to make you want to hurt me. Got any other Godfathers I can kill?"

Even though it was shaking, Harry kept his wand trained on her laughing form. He whirled around when another, deeper voice joined her laughter. "You want it don't you."

Realizing his possible mistake, Harry turned and backed up so he could see both Voldemort and Lestrange, although he didn't know how seeing them could possibly help him out of this. "I can teach you how to harness your rage. Make it your slave and give you anything you want. I can make you powerful Potter, powerful enough to bring back your beloved Godfather." His promises slithered darkly along Harry's skin, seeking a weakness. Harry held strong.

He was saved from replying by Dumbledore's appearance. "Tom, do not make promises you cannot keep." Voldemort didn't reply, he simply snarled and threw a spell Harry couldn't identify at the ancient headmaster.

The battle was on, and the walls and floor exploded around him. Harry tried to dodge and lunge out of the way of the multi-colored lights. He threw up a shield with all his strength and looked around for Lestrange. She was gone.

Suddenly, Fawkes swallowed a familiar green spell that was flying towards Dumbledore and exploded in a flash of brilliant fire with a shriek. Voldemort was surrounded by blue flame before he could get off another spell. Harry watched as cracks appeared in the blue and it burst apart leaving only smoke.

It was only the sudden explosion of pain in his scar and alerted the young wizard to Voldemort's proximity. A hand around his throat intensified the pain and tears ran down his face, but he refused to scream.

"I have your pawn. Lay down your want old man." Voldemort snarled.

Through the pain, Harry watched as Dumbledore's face transformed from the grandfatherly expression he knew into an evil bastardization of righteous determination. "When I kill you, I will have no more use for him. Prepare yourself for the afterlife." Harry saw with betrayed eyes, a sickly green spell fly in his direction, and felt Voldemort maneuver him in front of it.

Just before the green light hit, he saw a fanatical gleam in his mentor's eye. The spell hit, and acting purely on instinct, Harry pushed the spike of pain threw him and out his back. He dropped to his knees, surprised to be alive, and heard a sizzle behind him.

Voldemort was clawing at his face, mouth open in a silent scream. He dissolved into blood and bone, until all that was left was a pile of smoking cloths, his wand lying innocently atop it. Surreptitiously, Harry grabbed the wand and shoved it up the back of his shirt to tuck it into his waistband.

"Well done my boy, I knew you could do it." Harry only raised his head a little, allowing Dumbledore to see that this façade wouldn't work on him anymore. He'd seen his true colors. "My boy, do not look at me that way. I couldn't let him know how important to me you are." 'Yea right' Harry didn't dignify it with a response. He raised his hands to touch his chest where the spell hit him. He was sore, but there was no blood, and no opening.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak again, but Harry was saved by the appearance of the order, and their prisoners. Neville, Luna and Remus ran to him immediately, but Harry noticed Ron and Hermione went to Dumbledore first. The three enveloped him in a group hug and he tried not to grimace. It must have shone though, because they pulled back almost immediately.

Remus asked franticly, "Are you injured any where? I almost died when you ran away. What were you thinking?" Again, an unexpected presence saved him from needing to answer.

"JUST WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!" Minister Fudge shouted. He apparently had arrived just in time to see Harry divert the spell and kill Voldemort, but he and his entourage had been so shocked they'd not moved.

Every one looked to Dumbledore to explain, but the old man gestured to Harry. Taking a deep breath Harry began, "Minister, Headmaster Dumbledore received information that the ministry was going to be invaded by Death Eaters. He informed those he felt could be trusted and arrived here to battle with Voldemort."

He assumed it was all true. Dumbledore must have gotten wind he'd come here and that the Death Eaters were attacking, and informed the Order. He'd also arrived to battle Voldemort. It just left a lot out. The rest of the order glanced down to hide their shocked expressions. The Golden Gryffindor was acting suspiciously Slytherin.

Fudge fanned himself and cleared his throat multiple times. Finally one of the Aurors with him took over. "So where is Voldemort?"

Harry pointed at the smoldering pile of clothing and Ron, who'd been standing near it, squeaked and ran away from it.

"Alright, We'll get you and those present's memories as proof. Where are the Death Eaters?"

Order members pushed and/or levitated bound, unconscious or injured Death Eaters forward.

Another Auror slowly moved forward to unmask them, taking note with calm detachment that they had two Lestranges, Goyal, Crabbe, and Malfoy Sr. and, McNair, and Rosier.

While the Aurors took possession of the prisoners, Fudge got over his shock and tried to take control of the situation. He couldn't allow the information out, that Voldemort was alive, though now dead, and he'd said otherwise. It would look like he was covering it up.

"You are all under arrest for breaking and entering a government building. Aurors arrest them."

The five Aurors swallowed and looked at the twenty odd, armed, Order members and then back at Fudge.

Dumbledore smiled in his twinkly way and asked those under him to stand down and allow the Aurors to escort them to the appropriate place. He would take care of it. Most trusting in the old man automatically dropped their weapons. Harry shook his head and said no, softly so only Luna, Neville, Remus and the few order members around him heard; Kingley Shacklebolt, Mad Eye Moody, and Tonks among them.

"Minister I'm sure you'll excuse me if I and my personal guard refuse, as I've had trouble in your custody before."

Fudge and Dumbledore wore identical expressions of shock. Those Order members unknown to Harry, moved away and put down their wands, but Kingsley, Moody, Tonks, Remus and his two peers held their ground and attempted to school their expressions.

"I was unaware you were assigned a personal guard Mister Potter, and it appears so was your Headmaster."

"I am sorry, but you are misinformed. We were hired after his Dementor attack, for any time he left the school property. We met him here when he contacted us about retrieving a prophecy about him from the archives." Kingsley's cool confidant tone left no room for argument.

"Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks, you have jobs here." Fudge said, suspiciously.

"I am allowed to do freelance work on my day's off, as today is, Minister." Was the dark man's unshaken reply, and a purple head nodded decisively.

"And Lupin is a werewolf!" A voice that sounded suspiciously like one Ronald Weezley shouted out. The Minister nodded, as if that was a valid argument. Remus flushed, but before he could defend himself Harry said. "I have found Mr. Lupin to be a trustworthy resource, and his enhanced senses immensely valuable." A light smile from his old professor was his reward.

Dumbledore spoke up, obviously unhappy with his rouge pawn. "You have two school children with you. Surely you are not claiming them to be your body guards."

Harry held in a hiss, and felt Luna's hand on his, preventing his heated response. "We are his friends. A Gill-villed swallow told me he would need support when he went to rescue the prophecy, so we came with him."

No one seemed to know how to reply to that, although Harry and Neville were holding in chuckles. Finally a relatively new Auror asked. "What kind of proof do you have that this was your reason for being here." Fudge looked at the young Auror with pride, and idly Harry wondered if the man would get a raise. Neville stepped forward. "We have badges from the phone booth where we entered, as is protocol for night time visits, saying we were on a rescue mission. I assume it is because Luna said we were here to rescue information on Harry's past." A grunt sounded from where Hermione Granger and Ronald Weezley were standing when an elbow hit soft stomach tissue mid breath.

Looking disappointed Fudge let them be, but asked them to please remain in the atrium so they could chat. Harry nodded but asked if they could wait elsewhere as there was a decomposing Dark Lord in this room.

Hiding chuckles the group followed Moody and Kingsley to a waiting room. When Neville opened his mouth to praise Harry on his quick thinking he found no sound would come out and shot a look at Moody. "I here tale that sometimes the Minister be knowing all spoken words in these here rooms." The three teens nodded and accepted that the rooms were most likely bugged.

Instead Neville asked, "So, did you hear the prophecy?" Harry shook his head, "Malfoy's father dropped it before I could."

Tonks asked the question they were all thinking, "What do you think he wants to talk to us about? We were here on official business."

Moody answered in his usual gruff voice, "He will probably be arresting those with Albus, but if they're crafty, they may be getting off with only a vow of silence. They probably be wanting something of the like for us."

Harry ignored the urge to comment on Moody's pirate like way of speech and folded his arms across his chest. "He can't force us to take a vow can he? I mean who would believe us anyway. You're with me, and I'm a raving lunatic, who makes things up to get attention."

Kingsley answered after he finished checking the walls and seats and allowed them to sit. He had been going through the motions he would if he was really on guarding duty. "He cannot force you five, it's against the law though he will probably try, but Tonks and I work for the Aurors. If we don't take the vow he will likely fire us."

Tonks looked resigned but not to upset. It wasn't the first vow she'd taken. Some days she felt like in the future she'd not be able to speak at all.

They sat quietly each thinking their own thoughts until an Auror came to escort them to the Minister's Office. Harry was only some what surprised to see Dumbledore still there.

"Ah, Mister Potter and party, thank you for waiting. I would like your account of what transpired in the Department of Mysteries."

Harry cleared his throat softly, signaling that he would handle it. Although he needn't have bothered, none of the others even considered tackling it.

"Minister, that won't be a problem, although I will keep it brief, I need to go to St. Mugo's and get checked out from the spell the Headmaster cast at me. Speaking of him, I wonder why the Headmaster is here. My personal business is none of his." He watched with satisfaction as Dumbledore's eyes flashed in rage for a moment. The Minister cleared his throat and shifted his weight nervously. He was in the middle of a power play between the two most influential light wizards in their world, no matter how much bad publicity he put out on them.

"Ah, well you see Mister Potter, Dumbledore is here to make a deal to prevent prison time for himself and those with him." Harry's eyes widened in shock. How was that again?

"But that is a matter for later, you were about to tell me you version of the events of tonight."

"I'm sorry Minister, but if it's a matter for later then perhaps that's when the Headmaster should be here." Harry stifled his glee when Fudge acquiesced and Dumbledore stepped out.

"Well, I came upon information that there was something in the Department of Mysteries with my name on it." He didn't mention that it was information gleaned from a vision sent by Voldemort. "So I contacted my friends and a few others and flew here as soon as possible." He was interrupted by an Auror who asked why he didn't wait until daylight, or until he had permission to leave Hogwarts premises. "Yes, well the rules say you can leave with your guardian's permission, and you can check the Floo network logs that I fire called my godfather to get it." He bowed his head for a moment when a flare of pain swept through him. He tried to shake it off, but the tears were already coming. He had to explain it to the Minister. "I'm sorry Minister, but Bellatrix Lestange sent him through the veil tonight, and I haven't even thought about it yet." He looked to the side and tried to regain control of himself. He could fall apart later. Remus reached over and held onto his hand tightly.

When he felt he had himself in hand, he continued. "We got here and went through the phone booth entrance, and went to the Hall of Mysteries."

Again the Auror interrupted, "it says here one Harry Potter entered on a rescue mission with five others not seven."

Before Harry could think up an answer, Kingsley stepped in. "Moody, Tonks, and I arrived later." Which was true. Harry was grateful the dark man had thought to include Sirius.

"When we got to the Hall of Prophecy, we looked around and ran into a group of Death Eaters. They started firing at us, so we defended ourselves and ran." Harry felt he was getting fairly good at speaking half truths. "We ended up in the room with the veil and a bunch of other people arrived and started fighting with the Death Eaters. Lestrange forced," He gulped and his voice started wavering, "Sirius into the veil and I may have lost my head." A quick 'understandable' from the Minister, but he didn't stop for fear he wouldn't be able to continue.

Excepting his use of an unforgivable, Harry told the truth. Including the Unforgivable from Dumbledore, and that the old man's words, which caused a growl from Remus, and that he not only survived the killing curse cast by the headmaster, but diverted it through him and into Voldemort. He didn't mention that he had the man's wand.

The Minister sat in silence for a few minutes, allowing the Quick Quill to catch up, and giving himself some time to think. Eventually he asked, "Could you give us your memories?" He had to ask because they were on private legal business, and so couldn't force them.

"I wouldn't mind, but then it shouldn't be necessary to take any others." The Minister sighed, resigned when the Longbottom Heir and Lovegood child nodded.

Harry pulled out his memory, only guessing at how it was done from watching Dumbledore and Snape, making sure to only include the last part, from when Dumbledore arrived to when the Minister did, and leaving out where he grabbed Voldemort's wand. An Auror held out a glass vile for him to put it in.

The Minister called back in Dumbledore who arrived with Ron Weezley and Hermione Granger in tow.

Immediately Ron started the blame game. "We were with them the whole time Minister, and we have the memories to prove it."

Harry felt those around him shift and said, "I contest the use of their memories. I suspect that the Headmaster could have supplanted memories into them while they weren't in here." It was a risky chance but he couldn't allow them to prove all their claims false.

Everyone was momentarily stunned still and Harry allowed a measure of pride to envelop him. At least Dumbledore hadn't expected that.

"That is a serious charge Mister Potter. Falsifying evidence is punishable by time in Azkaban." Harry appeared to meet his eyes evenly, when in reality he was focused on the bit of skin between the Minister's eyes. The man could be able to use Legilimancy, he couldn't take the chance.

The female Auror who'd remained silent up until then leaned forward to whisper in the Minister's ear. The Minister nodded and waved a dismissing hand at her.

"Auror Mostruff is going to check the surveillance spell where Dumbledore was waiting."

Moody grunted in satisfaction, and those around him smiled a little. Harry didn't let his surprise show; he'd not expected them to take his contestation seriously.

They waited in tense silence for the Auror's return. Ron and Hermione glared daggers in their direction but their three peers didn't look at them, and remained aloof, carrying on a quiet discussion amongst themselves. Neville asked softly, but loud enough to be heard by everyone, "Are you hurt too bad Harry? Can you make it just a little more time?" The quiet boy had to look down to hide his smile, but Luna carried it on perfectly. "Oh, I should get you a Sure-Faced-Salamander for your birthday; they are great for speeding up the healing of wounds caused by those who'd betrayed you." The others in the room blanched.

"Yea, I'm fine guys." Harry's voice was ruff due to his difficulty holding in his laughter. The Minister looked ashen at the reminder that Dumbledore had cast an unforgivable at the boy hero. He glanced at the Quick Quill which was still copying what would be public information if all of them didn't take a vow of silence. Harry knew that since he wasn't dead, he'd have a hard time proving the green spell had really been the killing curse, and that Voldemort hadn't died by his proximity to Harry, or by something completely unrelated.

The Auror returned and cast a spell on the large mirror that covered one wall of the Minister's office. The mirror showed Dumbledore leaving the office, and followed him as he walked to where Ron and Hermione were waiting. They had a quick discussion about why Dumbldore was out there and not in the office, where the Headmaster called Harry a few names that made Moody laugh. Then surprise surprise, the Headmaster put his wand to each of their heads for a moment and then the three of them had shared a smile. "Now we will be able to convince that tool of a minister you are innocent, and perhaps put our washed out weapon in prison before he becomes the next Dark Lord." Dumbledore said.

That was the last thing the mirror showed and immediately the two Aurors, Kingsley, Tonks, and Moody had Dumbledore and the other two by wand point.

"Is this really necessary?" The old man said, but Harry could see the fear and desperation in his eyes.

By the time Harry and his true friends returned to Hogwarts they were completely shattered, but also reeling from the last few hours.

Dumbledore had been arrested for casting and unforgivable, attempted murder, attempt to falsify evidence, and using mind magic on a minor. Both Ron and Hermione had returned to Hogwarts because the evidence showed they'd not given their permission to the old man. They were probably writing letters to Ron's family and Rita Skeeter, if they had any brains at all, which was debatable.

Harry had been forced to go to St. Mungo's where he'd gotten a clean bill of health other then that he had magical exhaustion and shouldn't do spells for a few days. He'd gotten a note to show his teachers at Remus' suggestion.

The boys walked Luna back to the Ravenclaw dormitory and then headed to bed. Harry ended up sleeping curled in Neville's embrace. The shy boy had been surprisingly forceful, claiming that Harry had gone through too much and ordering him to cry and then sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o0o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was summer, finally, and Harry was standing where he'd come almost everyday since Sirius had died; in the room with the veil listening to the whispers. Sometimes he could convince himself he could understand what they were saying. 'Come back to us.' Or 'We need you'. Other times he thought he heard Sirius, 'Its time now pup'

Each time he convinced himself it was just his imagination, but he would spend hours in this room. The unspeakables who worked with the veil learned to ignore him. He'd received the Minister's permission in return for his support after Dumbledore's arrest.

He jolted when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. It was Luna. "The Snorlacks are going to eat off all your cloths if you sit here not moving." He didn't even chuckle; Luna's strange way of seeing things had become common place to him. Ron and Hermione had succeeded in turning most of the school against him. Fudge wouldn't let the complete truth get to the public and so all that most people knew was that Dumbledore had attacked Harry with the killing curse, and that Harry hadn't died again. Ron convinced most the Gryffindors that Harry brainwashed the Minister, and was the next Dark Lord. The Slytherins were pissed because their parents were being round up. The Ravenclaws only wanted to study him to find out how he could survive the killing curse again. The Hufflepuffs had been completely loyal to Dumbledore and believed that he'd somehow tricked the Minister, just like he had the Goblet of Fire the year before. In short, the only people who would talk to him were Luna and Neville. Even the teachers refused to talk to him or grade his tests or homework.

None of it bothered him though. He spent all his free time here, listening to the elusive voices in the veil.

"Sometimes I can understand them Luna."

"I know Harry. I can too." Harry looked up in surprise to find Luna's normally flaky persona gone. "You can?"

"Yes its time for you to go back."

"Go back, what?" Luna just looked at him sadly, but with understanding. "You're not meant to be here anymore. You did what you had to. You killed him. Now you need to go home."

In his shocked state, Harry didn't notice that they were walking toward the veil. He did notice when she pushed him in. His last sight before black overtook him was a tear trail down her cheek, and red lights envelop her.


	2. the OZ?

iAN:/i "speech"

'_thoughts_'

_Glitch writing in the notebook_

**Harry writing in the notebook**

**Chapter 2 The O.Z.?**

The first thing he noticed was that he was outside. '_Huh not dead then?_' The second thing he noticed was the blurry face above him.

"Hello there, you look like you could use a hand up."

Harry groaned, and took the hand offered to him. The man pulled him up so fast Harry needed to hop a little to keep his balance. He was deceptively strong. Harry shook his head a little to gain his bearings.

He was in the middle of a field, hay or something. He froze when he looked up and saw two suns. Slowly he looked at the man who'd helped him up. Looking about 28 ish, he was dressed in rags which had at one point probably been fine cloths. He had a disarming but empty smile, and was following Harry's gaze like whatever he was looking at was unfamiliar to him too. The most amazing thing about him was the zipper running along his head, shinning from between smooth dark curls. Harry narrowed his eyes to get a better look, and then backed up with a gasp.

The man looked at him with concern. "Hey, you okay?"

Harry shook his head absently, and reached out slowly to touch the open zipper, that showed half a brain inside the man's head.

"Oh, am I showing?" The man asked and gently zipped himself back up. "Sorry about that." He smiled again. Idly, Harry decided he loved that smile. It was completely innocent and perfect in every way.

The man's brow furrowed and he looked around, looking just like Harry imagined he had himself a few seconds ago. "Do I know you?"

A laugh escaped Harry before he even noticed. "Uh, no. I, uh woke up here." He looked around again. Trying to figure out where he was. Did Sirius end up here too? "So, where are we?"

The man laughed in delight and bounced over to him, looking far to excited for such a simple question. "Are you like me? I sometimes forget where I am too? Names Glitch, cuz I sometimes Glitch out…Glitch out…Glitch out." Concerned Harry snapped in front of him.

"Oh, uh like that I guess." Harry smiled, gently. Where ever he was, he was better off then this poor guy.

"Well, name's Harry. From London, and last I remember by best friend pushed me through the veil..hmm." He patted himself down trying to figure out what he had on him.

He pulled out his wand, and sighed happily when he also pulled out Voldemort's wand. He'd taken to carrying around both all the time, although he'd not known why.

"ooh what are those? Sticks?" the man made a grab for one, and Harry pulled away sharply. He wasn't fool enough to trust the man after only just meeting him.

"Sheesh, no need to be so rude." The man, Glitch, huffed and started walking away. Harry sighed and followed. He wasn't about to loose sight of the only person around. After a short walk, they came upon a Forest and a twig snapped under Harry's feet.

Glitch whirled around in a fighting stance. "Who are you and why are you following me?" He growled out. Harry held out his hands in a peace sign, with his wands in both hands.

"Whoa, Glitch, we met already." He man dropped his hands and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I don't remember very well, could..could you tell me your name again." Harry smiled disarmingly, "Its Harry, remember?"

"Oh, no, but that's okay. Do you know where we're going?" Harry nodded decisively, "Yes, that way." He pointed the direction Glitch had been going and smiled. The man returned it warmly and laced their arms together. Harry blushed a little, he was very good looking, but the man didn't appear to notice. "Well then, that way it is."

They walked until darkness fell, Glitch rambling about this and that, and Harry wondered if there were two moons wherever he was too. He didn't ask though. On Harry's suggestion, they moved off the path to a clearing and collected wood for a fire that Harry cast discreetly with his holly wand. Glitch was surprisingly good company, taking about things Harry didn't know, as though it was common knowledge. Harry soaked up every tidbit of information, trying to put together the pieces of Glitch's unreliable memory and come up with a location. So far all he had was that Glitch called it the O.Z.

Sometime during their walk, Harry decided that he must be in another dimension, although, he'd also briefly entertained the equally farfetched idea that this was some sort of test to get to the afterlife, and Glitch some kind of guide. Glitch quickly dissuaded that idea, chuckling and glitching about it for some time. Unbidden, Dumbledore's words about death just being the next adventure came to him. He shared them with his new friend.

"Who said that?"

"Oh, well, my old headmaster, he was arrested for trying to kill me."

Glitch blinked once in surprise, "Oh, uh, well…why would he want to do that?"

Harry laughed low once, "I was just in the way, he wanted to kill the man behind me. It's kinda a long story." Glitch shocked him by moving closer and leaning on him. Not for the first time Harry wondered if he'd grown or if Glitch was short, because they were the same height and Harry was even a little bit bigger then Glitch.

"Sometimes, I'm really glad I can't remember all the time, because when I do remember stuff, it seems kinda bad." He turned to look at Harry, and the wizard wondered if this was the appropriate time to ask about the zipper. Turns out he didn't need to. Glitch ran a finger along the metal and hummed, "Sometimes I get flashes about this, and I remember counting, and faces and being terrified. But then it's gone, and it's just a feeling, and I'm happy that way." He looked so sad; Harry couldn't help but wrap an arm around his back and pull the man to him.

He felt an instant connection to Glitch, at times it was like a memory; at others it was much more profound. He hoped Glitch felt it to, but knew that even if he did, he'd forget as soon as they separated.

Trying to change the subject he asked, "So, Glitch why are you wondering around alone out here?"

Glitch turned his head so he was speaking into Harry's neck, and he had to hold in a moan as the vibrations traveled down his spine. He learned early on that Glitch had no clue about personal boundaries or what proper human interaction with relative strangers should be. "Well, I don't remember. Sometimes I get faces and places, but they don't have any reference. Oh!" He shot up and clocked Harry under the jaw. Harry opened his mouth to stretch it, but didn't mention it, obviously Glitch had a memory and if Harry interrupted, it would be gone. Harry pulled out the notebook he'd transfigured to keep track of Glitch's memories. "I remember all these people who help me, but then," His shoulder's drooped and Harry paused in his writing to prompt him, "They get tired of me when I can't remember them or really contribute, and make me leave."

Harry decided not to write that down, and instead pulled the man back into his neck. "I won't make you leave for as long as you want to stay with me. Here," he pulled out the notebook and wrote down the promise at the bottom of the first page where Harry had written the notebook's purpose.

**I Harry Potter, promise to always let Glitch stay with me, and to keep him a safe as I can, for as long as he wants to stay by my side.**

Blushing Glitch took the notebook and wrote under it.

_Even if he is a bother or can't remember me. And Glitch promises to always love his Harry Potter_

Harry frowned, "Glitch you don't have to promise anything. You only just met me."

"You only just met me!" Glitch argued, with all the determination of a toddler.

"Yes, but I'm not promising to always love you." Glitch looked down and Harry wondered how serious this was. "Glitch listen, I have magic." Glitch nodded. "When I make a contract like this it will happen, and if you put your promise next to mine, the magic will make it true." He reached over and tilted Glitch's head so they were looking eye to eye. "I'm just a kid. I wouldn't want you to be forced to love someone like me when you could do so much better."

Glitch's dark eyes widened and Harry knew his synapse were all firing correctly. "You're not a kid! You at least as old as me…At least as old as I think I am." He paused and Harry held in a chuckle, ignoring the crazy zipper head. "Anyway! I'm not forced to love you. You're the only one who's ever really wanted to help me like this."

"As far as you know." Harry said dryly

"Yea! As far as I know. Listen, if someone else gave me a notebook, I'd still have it. I still have all my cloths, don't I?" Harry held in the automatic 'as far as you know'. Glitch was sweet, but Harry was just a kid, and he had to find Sirius and told the man so.

"Really? Well, I'll help you. I bet I've been all over this land. It's all up here somewhere." Glitch said excitedly hitting himself in the head. Harry tried not to think about what Glitch's half empty head looked like.

"Like I said, you'll always be welcome with me. But I don't want to have any of your feelings for me because of a magic contract."

Glitch frowned, but then straightened and brightened, erasing the last part of what he'd written and scribbling something else. He handed it to Harry when he finished.

_Even if he's a bother or can't remember me all the time. Glitch promises to always be Harry Potter's best friend_.

Harry cleared his throat and said, blushing, "I don't like this either."

Glitch pouted, "Why not?"

Harry caught his eyes and held them, Glitch's breath caught in his throat and he shivered. Harry hoped that meant Glitch felt the connection too. Harry whispered, "What if one day I want you to be more then my best friend?"

They stared at each other until an owl hooted and startled the zipper head. Harry chuckled, wondering if he could use the owl to get a letter to Neville about Luna. He called up to it. "Hey, would you help me deliver a letter?" Glitch looked at him oddly, but Harry ignored him.

Dark curls bounced fiercely when Glitch gasped. The owl flew down regally and landed on Harry's out stretched arm. "Is that a yes?" The wizard asked. The owl's head bobbed.

"Can you get to London?" The owl hooted mournfully and shook his head.

"Ah well. Any one you need to get a letter to Glitch?" He asked. Glitch, still stunned stupid, shook his head before stopping and shouting out "YES!"

Harry laughed out loud, while the owl floated back to the wizard's arm and gave the other man a disdainful glance. "I should write…uh…oh…I've forgotten."

Harry smiled gently and gave into his instincts. He leaned around the owl and kissed Glitch on his cheek. "Its okay. You'll remember eventually and then we'll write it down. We'll find another owl, or maybe this smart gentleman will find us when he's needed." The owl bowed regally and flew away.

Glitch eventually shook off the feeling of Harry's lips on his cheek and said, "You really are magic." Harry looked affronted, "I said I was."

Glitch smiled the smile Harry loved so, and his offended feelings were gone.

"Anyway," Harry started, he still hadn't signed his promise, "Let me scratch this out and I'll sign it."

Eagerly Glitch looked over his shoulder and gasped. Harry rolled his eyes and then huffed when Glitch pulled the pencil and notebook from him.

When Harry finally got the book back, the last line said:

_Glitch and any other names he was called, promises to always remember Harry Potter and all the memories and feelings associated with him_.

Harry considered, it was actually pretty igneous and Glitch huffed when he said that. "Of course, I am a genius you know."

"No I didn't."

"Yep, I used to be the main adviser to the queen." Harry wrote that in the notebook, while at the same time, making note that this place had a Queen.

**Glitch is and was obvious genius and was the main advisor to the Queen**

"This will make it so you always remember me, even if we get in a horrible fight and you leave. I would make this so you would remember every memory from here on out, but I don't think it works that way. I've made two promises with two conditions. You can only make up to that. So far you have two promises you could have two conditions."

Glitch frowned thoughtfully. While he thought, Harry moved around to see if he could find something edible he could transfigure larger or more nourishing. Magic theory suggested that you could only make food from food, but you could change its properties, like size or quality.

He found a berry bush and he used a spell designed for potion parts collection to determine their qualities and strip them from the bush. Then he tripled their amount and brought them back to where Glitch was still frowning.

He jumped up when he saw Harry and the wizard sighed. "It's okay Glitch. Its Harry. You were thinking about what two conditions to put on your promise." He gestured to the notebook and Glitch picked it up and made an unidentified exclamation.

"You don't have to promise this Harry!" He was deeply distressed.

"Glitch," Harry put both of his hands on his new friends' shoulders, "we've already talked about this. I'm doing it anyway."

Glitch nodded and Harry privately wondered how long this promise was going to take. Until it was signed, Glitch wouldn't remember it. Harry munched on berries until Glitch passed over the notebook. He sighed and passed the berries over. Glitch hummed joyfully with every bite.

_Glitch and any other names he was called, promises to always remember_

_ Harry Potter and all the memories and feelings associated with Harry Potter, unless Harry Potter_

_ says the phrase, "Glitch I don't want you to remember me" which will prompt Glitch to stop remembering _

_anything he wouldn't remember normally, or if remembering Harry Potter would put Harry Potter in insurmountable danger_.

Harry added:

_..or if remembering Harry Potter would put Harry Potter _**or Glitch and any other names he was called**_**,**_

_ in insurmountable danger**;**_** insurmountable as determined to Harry Potter's standards**

Glitch smiled and nodded, so they both signed the bottom. Dark brown eyes widened in awe at the golden glow that surrounded their hands and the notebook.

Harry smiled and pulled bedding out of seemingly no where. "Magic" Glitch whispered and they snuggled down together to sleep.


	3. Meeting the cast

iAN:/i "speech"

'_thoughts_'

_Glitch writing in the notebook_

**Harry writing in the notebook**

**DG writing in the notebook  
**

**Chapter 3 Meeting DG**

Glitch gave Harry his most potent innocent look. "Don't give me that look. This is all your fault and you know it."

"How was I supposed to know I'd been banned from this place? I can't remember anything."

Harry sighed and pulled out the notebook to mark it down.

**Glitch has been banned from the tribe of the Eastern guild. If he goes there they will **

**point sharp sticks at him and any with him until you humor them and let them put you in**

** a large hanging cage. Once there, they will push the cage until**

** you hurl and laugh at you. The food is surprisingly good**.

"Do you think you could stop that? I'm trying to write." The little feathered people just laughed at him. Harry looked over at his traveling companion. "You know, you should probably be writing in this too." Glitch tilted his head like he was searching for a memory, but Harry knew it was fake. Ever since they'd signed their written promise, Glitch's memory about Harry and anything about Harry had been superb. It gave Glitch hope and his step had lightened with every remembered fact. Glitch had forced Harry to tell him every fact, important or not, so that he could get the high that comes from remembering.

They'd been in this hanging bird cage for two days now. Harry didn't want to risk his magic because he really didn't want to hurt the guys or scare them. "Hey Harry, you should ask them about your godfather." Harry opened his eyes from his pretend nap, "Why would they know?" Glitch tilted his head and Harry shifted to get out the notebook if needed. "They work for the resistance, they would know if someone from the other side came through here." Glitch only heard a few words of Harry's grumbling, "should have told me earlier" and "Could have left days ago" were the key phrases.

Glitch loved traveling with Harry. When he'd found the, he assumed, 25 year old man asleep in the field, a month ago, he'd not even considered any danger. Glitch hadn't ever considered danger before Harry found him. He didn't remember things like that. To him everyone was good and happy and should be helpful. He still didn't remember the people they came across on their travels but he remembered every word that Harry said and every move that he made. It was a glorious feeling, remembering something at last. That he was remembering his Harry made it even better. Harry took care of him, made him feel safe in a way he was sure he hadn't felt since…that…one time…'_sigh lost it_'.

"Hey squawking carrot," The one called red hat shouted 'RED HAT' but Harry ignored him, winking at Glitch when he giggled. "Have you seen anyone, a man, from the other side come through here?" Red Hat pushed their cage, making it swing, "We would not tell you, traitors to the Queen. Even if we had seen a man from the other side."

Suddenly the ground shook and a crash split the air. Immediately Harry's wands were out one pointed at where the cage was tied to the tree and the other at their feet at the hole in the basket. His body was between Glitch and the hole, keeping him from falling and breaking anything. Red Hat ran off shouting in their crude rhyming form of the language. Harry remained where he was until their cage stopped shaking.

The scream came what Glitch would have estimated to be ten minutes later, if he did that sort of thing, '_Did he do that_?' '_what was he thinking? Right, the scream_.' "Female" Harry said, calmer then Glitch was. His mind turned a mile a minute trying to figure out what a screaming female would mean. "What do we do Harry?"

Harry turned to smile at him, push a wayward curl behind his ear and re-zip his zipper, calming him. They'd discovered that Glitch loved it when Harry touched his zipper. "We wait Glitch. It didn't sound like a pained scream, more surprised." Glitch tried to tie the scream to Harry saying it was a surprised one; he wanted to be able to identify the difference later.

Soon, a girl was thrown into their cage. The blue feathered one said, "You spies should share a cage."

"I'm not a spy!" The girl cried indignantly while the warriors walked away saying that they would come back to question them after they'd hug a while. Harry chuckled and she turned to appraise them. "What?" Glitch watched them eye each other and an odd feeling made him sick in his stomach. He asked Harry what it was. "Harry? What's this feeling?"

The feeling stopped when Harry stopped looking at the new girl. "What feeling." "OH! It's gone now." Glitch frowned and put a hand on his stomach. "When you were looking at that girl my stomach became upset." He tilted his head waiting for Harry to explain it.

It was the girl who answered, "Oh, you were probably jealous." He brightened immediately before he remembered that he didn't know what jealous was. He looked at his Harry for a definition. Harry rolled his eyes, and Glitch felt a familiar pain in his chest. He knew that one, it meant he was becoming a burden again. He ignored Harry's explanation to grab at the notebook in the bag Harry found. He opened it frantically to see their promise for himself. Slowly, and with untold relief, he lightly touched the words with his fingertips. He felt Harry's arms go around his shoulders in a hug, "You're not a burden Glitch." Glitch smiled, Harry always knew what he needed to hear. He knew that to, he remembered it happening every time.

When they finally turned their attention back to the girl, she was smiling sweetly at them. Before they could get her name though, the munchkins were back.

"You girl, will the Witch be attacking from the West or the East?" Red Hat ordered.

"I don't know. What witch?" They ignored her question just as they had Harry's, Glitch remembered.

"You are a spy, what were you spying on?" this from the blue one, Harry hadn't said his name so Glitch didn't remember it.

"I'm not a spy. A tornado came and I ended up here and my parents are missing." Glitch noticed Harry looked at the girl with his concerned face, and that jealousy feeling came back. '_Well at least I know what it is now_.' He didn't like that feeling and he didn't like the girl getting to see his Harry's concerned face.

"For the last time, will the witch be attacking from the West or the East?" still the blue one.

"Nothing you say is making any sense to me."

"Azkadelia has searched all the villages in the area for the stone. Are we next on her list?" Glitch watched Harry mouth Azkadelia and stone and he had a memory. He grabbed the notebook and wrote down:

_Azkadelia is the Queen's daughter. I used to know her. She took out my brain._

He passed it to Harry who read it without comment. The girl had continued to argue with their captors. Glitch tried to pay attention but the blue one had something shiny.

"Please be careful with that, it has sentimental value." The girl tried to sound calm, but Glitch remembered Harry saying "listen to their tone as well as their words, sometimes people speak that way firstly and with their words secondarily." She was worried about the shiny thing. He was relieved to note Harry saw that too, he never would have remembered.

Red Hat told the girl, and so them too, that they'd seen the people in the shiny running or leading long coats. '_Long Coats…I should know that_' He had a flash, but it wasn't enough to put in the notebook so he ignored it.

"Those are my parents," More jealousy, Harry rarely had that gleam in his eyes.

"You say parents I say spies." Glitch thought the little blue guy was awfully funny.

They threatened them with rhyming pain, but Glitch wasn't worried, Harry said he would keep him safe if he could. Harry had said this was nothing. He was more concerned that the shiny had been dropped below them. He wanted the shiny.

The girl called after them as they walked away, "You guys are out of your tiny minds." Harry laughed. '_Am I ever going to get use to this jealousy feeling?_'

"Well," Harry started, and Glitch loved that take charge attitude thing. "I'll make you a deal, I'll get you your locket back, and you help us get down from here." Glitch pointed at himself, but Harry shook his head. _'Oh, the girl…right' _he put on his I really am all here face. "Oh? And how are you going to do that? It's all they way down there." Harry just smiled and Glitch sighed audibly making Harry blush and loose his under control aura.

"Don't worry about it biscuit. Can you do your end of the deal?" He tried to take attention from his Harry.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked him suspiciously. He tried not to shrug. He didn't even know what she was talking about. Harry took over. "We need to rock this thing to get it over there," He pointed to the rope bridge, "and then we can get out of here."

She nodded and Harry pointed his important sticks down the hole in the basket. "Accio locket." Unfortunately, just like what had happened with the fish, at least five lockets flew at him, causing screaming from the little houses, and raising the alarm. "Hurry" Harry said, handing her all the shinnies. Glitch hoped he'd get one too.

The alarm came just in time, while they were escaping on the bridge, long coats came and the battle began. Quickly they shimmied down a rope and ran to hide. Harry put a hand on Glitch's back pushing him in the correct direction. When they could no longer hear the war cries of the Eastern Guild, they stopped and the girl looked through the shiny things. She huffed disappointed. "Not there?" Harry asked apprehensive? "No" She said.

"Bugger" "Harry!" "Sorry Glitch." It was a common exchange and it made Glitch smile to remember the other times they'd done it. "Alright Glitch, since I didn't complete our deal, you'll have to lead us to the old brick rode or wherever they saw her parents last." _'I can do that its uh..that way_'

Glitch started walking but stopped when Harry grabbed his hand. He latched on to Harry's hand tight. They didn't often hold hands among other people. Harry said he wasn't sure how they would react. He turned him wordlessly in another direction and Glitch nodded.

Eventually the girl introduced herself and got an explanation from Glitch for his ratty coat, which took fifteen minutes.

"You know how to get to Central city?"

"The shining city on the hill? Sure… The shining city on the hill? Sure… The shining city on the hill? Sure.." Harry thumped him on the shoulder and he reset. He shot them an embarrassed glance. Harry didn't even react, but the girl looked at him funny. "Uh, names Glitch on account of how sometimes my synapses don't fire right." Harry thumped him again before he could glitch. Somehow the word 'synapse' was a trigger for glitches.

Harry knew they were traveling in a circle, just like he knew Glitch didn't have a clue how to get to the road. He wasn't paying attention though; he was listening to the sounds of pain and fear.

He told them both to stay put and disappeared. He cursed when he felt DG pull Glitch with her and follow him. He stopped at the top of a hill and assessed the situation. At least six of what the little guys called long coats were beating up a guy, and holding a woman, assumed to be his wife, still. Hitting their boy was the last straw for DG and she grabbed a stick and ran to beat them. He and Glitch followed at a stealthier pace. Harry was sure he could take them all but the girl was in the way now. He stopped up short when, just as she ran up to them, they all disappeared. In their place was an old dilapidated cabin.

A squeaky noise attracted Glitch's attention. He walked over to a little machine stuck in a stump, and turned it off, sprouting a load of technical jargon when DG asked what it was. He wordlessly held out the notebook for the man when he was done, sure he'd not be able to write it down. He didn't understand but he could read it later. He got the important parts anyway, Glitch invented it, and it was playing some horrible thing that really happened over and over.

He followed DG as she slowly walked up to an iron thing. She jumped back when she saw eyes in it. Wordlessly Harry pushed her back and cast "Alohomorah" Glitch ran over and helped him lower the beast of a man to the ground. Just as they touched, Harry felt the same connection he felt with Glitch when they touched. A glance over at Glitch confirmed he felt it too. "Bugger" it was a measure of how messed up Glitch was that he didn't complete the exchange.

"Where are they?" the man grunted, voice raw from disuse.

The three of them watched him get his bearings and figure out what was happening. "I'm going to kill him." Glitch and Harry exchanged glances and they separated. Glitch convinced DG to let Harry handle it.

Harry walked up to the dirty man and said in a voice devoid of all emotion, "You can't kill him looking like that. You'll have to get cleaned up first."

By the time Glitch and DG returned from wherever they were, Harry could tell Glitch had forgotten what was going on. His dark eyes widened when he saw him, and he ran into his arms yelling "Harry" Harry caught him and maneuvered them out of the immediate range of their new companion, who'd introduced himself as Wyatt Cain. "I remember you!" "Of course you do Glitch, you promised." It was another patented exchange, doing small things like this made Glitch smile that smile of his.

They left the man to say his goodbyes and Glitch explained everything to his Harry by giving him the updated notebook. Harry always wanted to be there when Glitch had a memory, but so many of them had happened on his walk with DG. She had calmly opened the notebook and wrote them all down.

**Azkadelia ordered that only those who resist her be punished like this.**

** They would be forced to watch their loved ones killed in front of them while **

**they were helpless to stop it. What kind of crazy place is this?**

Harry smiled at DG's commentary. "How long were you in there?" Harry shook his head at DG's bull headed insensitivity. "Since that was a sapling." He pointed at a decent sized tree.

Cain stopped in front of Harry, "Thanks for the help." Harry nodded and watched him dig for a box. Harry assumed, correctly, that it was a hidden spot for extra weapons.

"Um, I'm DG, and this is Harry, and this is…" He interrupted. "I know, a head case." Harry snorted, but understood the need to take your pain out on others. "I'll have you know I have a proper name." Glitch looked down at him, "And when I remember it I'll let you know." Harry cocked a crooked grin at his Glitch and got one back. He didn't care what Glitch's name was.

"What's a head case?" DG asked?

"It's what the state does to reeducate criminals." Glitch slumped and his eyes lost their joy. Harry grabbed his hand. It didn't matter to him; his Glitch was a good person now. "Cain, are you a criminal?"

The man snarled at him. "So, what makes you think Glitch is?" A long silence, Harry held his gaze and only stopped when he got a nod. He squeezed Glitch's hand.

They left him to his memories for a moment, but DG couldn't hold it in when he said goodbye. "Hey actually were looking for a road, the brick route to central city? Do you know of it?"

"Yea…Zero…Actually that's where I'm headed." He said.

"Good," Harry spoke, his voice brook no argument, "you will lead us to it." Even though it was more of an order, Cain opened his mouth to argue, eyes flicking to the girl and Glitch. Harry softened his eyes, and put a hand on his shoulder. He understood, Cain was out for only revenge, but Harry wouldn't let him leave alone, he'd follow him anyway. Cain lowered his head and nodded once, then snarled again and shrugged his hand off.

"Fine," DG was obviously fed up, "we'll find our way ourselves come one Glitch. Glitch followed, stomping a few steps before turning to look at Harry. He sighed and turned back to Cain who spoke, "The way? The way leads through the forest of the Papey." Glitch gasped. DG stopped and turned around. "What!" she threw a small tantrum about all that had happened to her so far. Harry couldn't hold his chuckle. She was so young. He founded, she was older then him wasn't she? '_Ah I'll think about it later. I still haven't found a mirror to see what I look like now. Glitch said I looked 25._ ' Glitch grabbed his hand again and waited. He obviously didn't want to go there without Cain.

"What's the Papey?" Harry asked the cold man.

"I've seen them gnaw a person in half inside thirty seconds." Glitch whimpered and buried his head in Harry's neck. Cain sighed, "Zipper head keep your mouth shut, kid you stay behind Harry and me."

Harry squeezed Glitch's hand and winked at an irate DG. As they walked Harry constantly tapped Glitch to keep him from speaking. He smiled to take the sting out of it but knew he'd have to speak to his friend and explain.

He was hit with a vision of a beautiful woman with dark hair in glamorous clothing.

She was looking at herself in the mirror but her actions in her reflection were different then the ones she was making. "You should have let me kill him, you're letting thoughts of him distract you from our goal, we're so close." the reflection snarled.

She whimpered and sniffed, "I just miss him, I never got to hold him."

The vision faded and he found himself looking into DG and Glitch's concerned faces. Cain was waiting up the path a bit. Harry could tell that the man was worried even if he didn't show it. "Its okay, I think I had a vision." DG looked understanding and Harry wondered if she had visions too.

Glitch squeaked and held up the notebook. Harry chuckled darkly and said, "I don't think we should put this down were it can be intercepted. I'll tell you in a bit Glitch." His friend smiled that smile, and it was all okay again.

They made it to the lands of the Papey with no other happenings of note, other then that Harry finally lost control of Glitch's mouth. Everyone handles being tense differently, Harry got quiet and brooding, DG got belligerent, Cain got testy, and Glitch talked more and louder.

Cain stopped to clear a track, "two passed this way, one's limping." DG cried out, "That's my parents," Immediately Harry shushed her, he didn't like the feel of this place. It was dead, but it had feelings. Hunger. Need. Want. When DG spoke he had felt it change. Hope. He didn't understand it. He wouldn't let them have her. He still owed her his half of their bargain. Somehow he thought she came out better in this deal.

"They don't like water, if they get close, you'll know." Cain whispered to them, but they all knew it was more for Harry. The two hardened men had a comradery that was easy and had settled fast. Harry wondered if it was a manifestation of the connection.

They walked quickly and as quietly as possible. Harry didn't even need to remind Glitch to remain silent. It was DG's insatiable curiosity that was their undoing. "Hey, what's that." She reached out and touched a sizzling blue foam. She hissed as it burned her. "Shit kid. Don't touch that." Cain wrapped her hand in his handkerchief.

A pulsing blue nest caught her attention next. Making her ignore her pain. "That's their dinner we need to get out of here." Harry rolled his eyes at the puppy dog eyes both Glitch and DG gave him. He performed the cutting curse and a hairy animal fell out the slit. It immediately started roaring at them. Harry took in Cain's unconcerned attitude, which changed when the man saw DG was scared. Harry heard a sound while Cain was posturing and pushed him out of the way. A stick covered dog like thing bit him and he grunted in pain. He'd had worse but this went right into his blood stream. Cain shot it and ordered them to run. Glitch tried to support Harry but he just pushed him aside. They ran, the hairy man Glitch and DG in front, Harry and Cain shooting spells and bullets at the animals respectively from behind.

They stopped at the edge of a cliff and Harry just growled and pushed them all over, casting bubble head charms on them as fast as he could. He and Cain first, followed by Glitch, DG. He didn't manage to get the hairy one. They hit the water and he could see the other three with the spell trying to hold their breaths, he rolled his eyes at them and made exaggerated breathing expressions. He grabbed onto Glitch, who'd probably forgotten how to swim, and the hairy one who didn't have a charm. He couldn't cast it under water. He frowned when he felt them being searched for. '_Who could be looking for them?_' He was thankful when Cain took over helping Glitch.

Once on dry land, the bubble charms popped. "I love your magic Harry." Glitch said from where his face was buried in his neck. Harry caught Cain's longing gaze that turned into a sneer when he saw Harry watching, and smiled at him. He understood it would be weird for a man who had been watching his wife and son taken over and over for years. It would be harder for him then it was for Glitch and himself. Harry still wasn't sure what their connection was. He'd never heard of anything like this back in London, but he was never one to think to long on things he couldn't change. Besides whatever it was it made him content.

Cain got up to collect wood to make a fire and DG moved to help him. This left Harry and Glitch with the hairy thing. He sighed and sat up. Glitch was shivering and Harry couldn't find it in himself to care more about the stranger then his Glitch. He watch Cain pile up the wood and struggle to get his flint out of his wet cloths. "Don't bother." Harry said and cast 'Incendio' on the pile. The others were use to Harry's casual display of Magic, and although DG had made him prove it over and over and Cain had shivered the first few times, they didn't even blink now, which was why the hairy one's reaction was such a surprise.

"Sorcerer, Witch, Evil. You will take Raw back to the tower." His words hurt Harry, even though he didn't know what they meant really, he could assume. Glitch stood up to give him a small piece of his mind, but Cain stopped him. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at the man. "You are a viewer, he has magic. He's not any more evil then you are. Now either come over here and get warm, or leave. We don't need you bringing attention to us." His cold words shocked everyone. DG looked at the new man with pity but didn't contradict Cain. Eventually he crawled over to the fire. Glitch and DG made room for him.

Harry didn't know what a viewer was, so he looked to Glitch for an answer. "Viewers are like seers but instead of seeing with their minds, they see with their hearts." Harry hummed. That would suck, feeling all that. He couldn't even handle his own feelings and the connection to Cain and Glitch. The hairy one fell asleep before Harry could find food, so Harry reached out to shake him when he got back. Just as he touched a furry shoulder, the man awoke with a scream.

Quickly Harry let go and backed away, hands up in supplication. Cain ran back from the forest, gun drawn. "What did I tell you about bringing attention?" They were all silent, waiting for any indication they'd been located. Nothing. Everyone relaxed.

Harry moved to the other side of the fire, between Cain and Glitch, and passed out the food he'd collected. Once it was eaten, and they were dry, they tried to get up to move before dark fell. The wound Harry sustained chose now to act up, driving him to his knees with a hiss. From very far away he heard Glitch and Cain's worried voices, but he couldn't respond. The haze of pain lifted after an indeterminate amount of time and he found the hairy one had healed him.

"I'm Harry, you have to choose another name." Glitch laughed, but Harry was so drugged on relief that he didn't realize how it sounded. The man huffed and drew RAW in the sand by his hip. "Thank you for healing me Raw." Raw nodded but didn't remove his other hand from Harry's leg. He said, "You have been betrayed." Everyone froze but Raw continued, "You seek he who first loved you. He misses you." Raw withdrew his hands. This time it was Harry who sought comfort from Glitch. The head case just held him. The others could see how torn up the two men were. Cain made the decision to just stay here for the night.

Harry eventually fell asleep. He'd not cried at all. Glitch wished he would. His thoughts were in turmoil. Harry was looking for a man who loved him first. Would Harry get rid of him when they found who he was looking for? No he promised, but then he could say the phrase and make Glitch forget. For the first time he wished he hadn't given Harry an out.

Cain watched Glitch with uncertain eyes. What were these feelings he had for the headcase and sorcerer? So long locked up with only hate, pain, and rage. No way to move, or express himself. He didn't have any compartments to put these two in. Harry was a warrior, he was a young man, 25 to 30 at least, sometimes he acted younger but he was strong. Glitch was 30 ish, still younger then him, a criminal, or not according to Harry, and annoying. None the less, he longed to touch them. He trusted Harry in a way he never had Adora, Harry could watch his back, could be depended on to make quick decisions. Glitch made him want to smile, something he thought would never happen again. He sat next to Glitch where he sat vigil over his friend. He knew what the headcase was thinking. It was beyond obvious that the man loved Harry, whether or not he remembered what it was called. It was equally obvious that Harry loved him back. He only hoped they weren't intimate while he was around.

In order to survive the iron suit, he had shifted his emotions for Adora. he changed her into an object. She wasn't his wife anymore, she was a representation of all that he lost.

Glitch needed reassurance that his love wouldn't abandon him. Cain knew the chances of that happening, none to zero.

"Didn't he say he was looking for his Godfather?" Immediately, Glitch's countenance picked up. Good deed for the day done, Cain tried to stand up.

"Cain?" Glitch whispered. He relaxed in his seat, no longer trying to stand, "If I could trade you, I would." That was all. It was enough. Cain nodded and ruffled Glitch's hair. He didn't see the sorcerer's satisfied eyes, or DG's smile.


	4. Clues

**Chapter 4**

Harry awoke with a start. "We need to move now." Something was off. Instantly Cain and Glitch were awake. DG took a moment but quickly she and Raw sensed the urgency. They didn't even stop to put out the fire, they just left. Harry made them jog 100 steps and walk 100 steps. It conserved their energy but sped up their time. When he finally felt the eyes off them, he let them rest. They were all gasping for breath except for his Glitch. Harry had made the zipper head do this often when they were traveling. Suddenly DG's eyes unfocused and she said, "All of life's answers can be found along the old road." Cain slowly turned to her but she'd already taken off. "She's having a vision." Harry told him. They all nodded and ran after her.

She didn't stop running until she came upon a sign for MillTown. Harry looked at her in consternation. "My parents were from here." They looked around the town, it was broken down. Suddenly Cain called out to DG, "We shouldn't be here, come back." It was too late. People started storming out of the houses and buildings. Their bodies were mutilated, some of them mostly machine. They were all carrying weapons, but Harry wasn't worried. This place felt expectant. Like it was waiting for them, something would happen. He winked at Glitch and watched him relax. DG tried to reason with them, and the leader recognized her voice.

Suddenly DG cried out "Dad" and ran to hug what Harry assumed were her parents. The expectant feeling didn't leave. This wasn't all. Harry guided the others out of the town with a nod to DG's 'dad'. They needed to talk. Once outside again, Harry explained as short as he could. "They're not her parents." Cain nodded, "if they live here it's because they are androids." Glitch frowned, "Then who are her parents?" Harry put a hand on his Glitch's shoulder, "We'll find out."

He found himself with DG in the leaders hut. Watching on a screen as her mother brought her here. Father view, the leader of the town, grabbed her hand, and burned a swirling pattern into her palm. Then he turned to Harry. "Your journey is of a different nature. You battled your demon. You are here to assist not to fight. For you too, this is home." Harry's brow furrowed. "I just want to find my Godfather, Sirius." Father view nodded. "I have met the one you speak. He left you a message." A screen popped up and Harry nearly fell down at the welcome sight of his godfather, healed from his prison, both in Azkaban and in Grimwald place. He looked healthy. "Pup, time passes differently in the veil. I was only there for a moment, but you could have been there for much longer. You would still age in there, still grow, but you wouldn't notice the passage of time. I've been here for 4 years now. I'm getting married. I'm sorry I have to tell you this way, Lily wasn't your real mother, nor James your father. I did a favor to someone from the O.Z. I care deeply for, and went back and put you in her womb. No one knew. I left you clues to figure out who your real mother is. It's your choice to figure it out or not. I will never stop loving you Harry."

The video ended and DG helped him out side, where he was enveloped in the warm comfort of Glitch. Harry looked at DG, they shared a smile. A smile of shared experience. He was happy when Raw comforted her. Cain rushed them back into Father View's hut, "Long Coats are coming."

Father view told them to go to the wizard, Harry gasped, but Cain nodded. "I know him, the mystic man. Thanks bye." He rushed them out and Harry wished, not for the first time, Luna had given him his invisibility cloak too. While Harry's mind tried to cope, Cain was their strength, where Harry had been earlier. Things tumbled about in his head and he held onto Glitch's hand for dear life. He'd even reached out to Cain once or twice, only to catch himself before Cain noticed. Glitch did though.

He snapped out of it quick enough, but his moment of fragility put a crack in the group. They'd been depending on him, and felt he let them down. He huffed and finally said, "listen its all well and good that you can all trust me, I like that, but I needed time to figure out what I learned meant. I'm good now. You can stop side stepping me." He ended up growling. They just pissed him off so bad. DG had just bounced back, and she had known her parents.

Finally they caught sight of the city, and they all felt Glitch's excitement. Just outside the gates, Raw saw a wanted picture for DG. Harry sighed and pulled out an old hollowed out log from the woods along the path. He transfigured it into a large wagon, and DG and Raw into horses. Glitch ended up as a rather good looking woman, and Harry turned to Cain with a smirk. "Just what do you think you're going to do to me?" Harry's smirk grew, "well every wagon needs donkey" Cain growled, pulled himself into the wagon and covered himself up. Harry chuckled, and decided to lead the 'horses' on foot. No one questioned them. Once inside, Harry led them to a dark alley and fixed them back. Immediately he was set upon by a pissed off DG. "Don't ever do that again!!" she didn't shout and Harry was proud that she'd learned that much restraint.

Only a moment later and Cain tried to disappear. Harry caught him with an outstretched arm. "When you have a plan and a location I'll help you, but you need more then just a death wish" it was a tense wait for the nod, but Harry wasn't letting him leave. Finally his patience paid off. "I know a guy who should be able to tell us where the Mystic Man is now." Harry nodded and gestured for Glitch to go with him. He explained that they shouldn't go alone, and he needed to stay with DG in case he had to hide her. "Be quick"

Glitch was unhappy separating from his Harry, but he trusted Cain. The problem was that Cain didn't trust him. Their partnership would be rocky. "Okay, I'm going in, you stay inside the door and don't talk to anyone." See. Glitch did as he was told though, even when he heard thumps that sounded like bodys hitting the wall. Cain came out and brushed his lapel. "Got what you needed?" Glitch asked? Not exactly sure what that was, but Cain nodded and grunted, so Glitch assumed it was an answer of a sort.

Unsure of where he was, Glitch just followed the blond man next to him. He seemed oddly familiar. For one reason or another he wanted to hold his hand. He reached out to do so. The blond man looked down at where he was holding his lax hand. He smiled, and Glitch felt his heart lift. "Do I know you?" The man sighed and shook off his hand. He felt oddly cold now and wrapped his arms around his chest. The man sighed again and said, "Harry will kill me if you get cold." He threw an arm around Glitch's shoulder and pulled him into his broad chest. '_Harry? Where was Harry_?' He wanted to ask, but the warmth was back and it felt so good.

The blond lead him around streets he dimly recognized and a few that made him whimper. Each time he did so, the man would pull him tighter and growl at the offending dark corner. Finally they came back into the light and Glitch felt his heart soar. "Harry" he cried out and Harry smiled at him, eyes twinkling, and laughed his deep laugh that finished what Cain began and warmed him through. Glitch didn't let go of Cain when he launched himself at his Harry, so they ended up in an awkward three-way hug that Glitch barely noticed. "I remember you" "Of course, you promised" Glitch sighed and buried his face in his Harry's neck.

"Get what you needed?" Harry asked Cain around Glitch's zippered up head. Cain nodded and tried, and failed, to pull out of Glitch's grasp. Finally he let it be and looked directly in Harry's eyes. "I have a location." Harry nodded, but DG was out of patience. "What about us? It's not all about you Cain." Surprisingly it was Glitch that snapped at her. "And not everything is about you Princess, although so far it seems that way." Harry threw back his head and laughed, "DG, you have to calm down. Everything will happen when it needs to happen. Rushing will get you nowhere. Cain is reliable. If he said he got what was needed, then he got it."

Humbled by Harry's faith in him, Cain pulled out three tickets to the Mystic Man's show and gave them to DG. She took them, and apologized. He nodded. It was nice having Harry as the leader, he didn't have to talk as much as usual. The headcase still hadn't let go of him, finally his curiosity won and he asked Harry, "Why does he always only remember you?" He meant to sound curious, it came out petulant. He winced and hoped no one noticed. "I promised" Glitch answered and Harry smiled down softly at him. "It was something we did when we first met. I'll tell you about it sometime, now we need to get something for them to wear."

Glitch quickly led them to a store he knew, don't ask Cain how, and picked out a surprisingly fashionable dress. It was 25 platinums. Cain had one. Harry took it and studied it; he bit it, threw it in the air, waved his stick over it, and then finally made three whole bags of the stuff, from the dirt they were standing on. Cain tried not to think about the damage he could do to the tax system.

That night Glitch, Raw and DG headed to the show, and Harry and Cain crept silently through the town. They had to stop in a dark corner to wait for long coats to pass and Cain remembered that this was the corner that caused the worst reaction in Glitch when they were walking back. He mentioned it to Harry. "Hey do you know if anything happened here to Glitch." Harry growled, an evil dark sound Cain had hoped never to hear from the sorcerer. "Sometimes he has nightmares, and I just know someone Fucked with him, our Glitch. I hope he never remembers." Cain took that the way it was meant and wanted to kill something, an odd emotion for a law man. He didn't react to 'our Glitch' it simply was. Harry nodded seeing the same reaction on Cain that he had.

They continued on their hunt, but when they got there, Zero was gone. "Just left. Said something about a girl being slipped into the city." Harry told him to find them and was gone in a clap. The things he could do astounded Cain. He kept to the shadows but ran as fast as was safe. He got there in time to see Harry take out Zero's whole troop with red lights. Zero wasn't there, he checked. He was worried about the dark expression Harry wore and called out to him quietly. The sorcerer looked at him, but didn't recognize him for a moment. Then he turned and Cain figured out what they expression was for. Glitch. Beaten bloody on the floor. Looked like the whole troop had gotten at least a lick in. He turned and pulled his gun. Harry's hand stopped him. "You're not a killer Tin Man." Cain wondered how Harry knew, he'd never regretted putting his gun away more.

Cain rushed off to find DG and Raw. He found them in the Mystic Man's room. He was high as a kite on Azkadelia's vapors. Cain wrote him off, but then he said something about her mother and her lavender eyes. Raw heard shouts and Harry came in the door carrying Glitch on his back. "Time to go" they rushed to get out through the window, but not before the Mystic Man gave them a clue. The ice caps.

Apparently DG was a wiz with mechanics and stole them a car. They drove most of the way, Harry casting heat on them every hour or so. Everyone could tell he was tiring though. He'd used a lot to keep them safe, and then to heal Glitch, and now he was keeping them warm. It was too much, but the only one of them who had a hope to convince the sorcerer to stop was in a healing sleep.


	5. Blast from the Past

**Chapter 5 Blast from the Past.**

Clank!

"What was that?" Cain who was driving asked DG.

She and Cain scrambled out and saw the Axle was broken. He poked his head into the back where the other three were sitting close together to conserve heat. "Axle's broken we'll have to walk from here." Harry groaned.

They wrapped up in anything they could and Harry told them he wouldn't be able to cast anything for a while. He needed his energy to walk. "I'm just not all that powerful you know."

Glitch hummed as he walked. He said the vibrations kept his zipper warm. Harry thought that he was just to cold to talk incessantly.

Finally they reached the base of the cold mountain and DG started rattling off riddles. She took Cain's shovel and started hitting the ice where it was the thinnest, mumbling about ice queens. Cain cursed when the ice fell and there was a door behind it. Harry held Glitch back when he moved to push DG out of the way and open it. This was for her to do. She stared at it for a while before slowly bringing up the hand with the burn mark on it. Her eye's widened when it started glowing and the doors creaked open. "Huh, that was cool." Harry remarked.

They entered into a long dark blue hall. Cain and Harry checked all the dark corners for people, but DG and Glitch immediately went right up to the front. There was a picture of Glitch starting down lovingly at a woman in a chair. Harry tried not to growl. His Glitch shouldn't be looking at some woman like that. "Hey that's my mother." DG said confused. She turned to Glitch, "You knew my mother?" "Hah, I told you I wasn't a criminal." He yelled in Cain's direction. Harry noticed him wince, "yea, I believed you zipper head." Harry smiled.

"My mother was the Queen?" She cried just before, she ran up the stairs and Harry and Cain frowned. How were they supposed to keep her safe if she kept running off? They headed up after them but Harry stopped half way up. There was a grim etched into the wood along one of the walls. He looked up to Cain, but he had kept running. He pushed on the dog etching and that section of the wall moved to the side. He stepped though.

Inside was a work room. There were odds and ends. He saw pictures of Sirius, older, with two little girls and DG's mother. Huh. So his godfather was DG's father? One picture he picked up and ran his finger down the side. It was Sirius, and his mother and father, or who he'd always thought was his mother and father. Lily had her hands in her shirt holding it up to show off the bump. He set it back down. He needed Raw.

He ran up the stairs and watched from the door way as Glitch tried to remember why this covered up bedroom was familiar. "nope" Glitch turned to see him. "Harry" He shook his head and smiled. He was sure this particular ritual was going to get them in trouble, but for now it was worth it to see that smile. He could tell it affected Cain too. "I remember you!" He laughed, "You promised" Glitch frowned at the shortened response but Harry shook his head and kept his smile. He was glad Glitch hadn't tackled him. "Where did you go?" Cain asked.

"I found my godfathers work room I think, I need Raw to come with me and check it out." Cain nodded and gestured to Raw and DG with his head. They were watching a vision on a mirror. The queen woman, DG's mother, was singing to the littler of the girls from the pictures in Sirius' work room. "That's you DG. I knew you too." Glitch told them. A few things clicked, Sirius was DG's father. Which made her Harry's GodSister? The scene changed and the older of the girls came in, but she looked different, darker. Not the smirking girl with the mischievous eyes in the picture. "Azkadelia's my sister?" DG asked. Harry's mouth gaped open when she tried to kill her sister, chanting prophecy, "**_The Majestic Queen of the O.Z. had two lovely daughters she, double eclipse, it is foreseen, light meets darkness in the stillness between, but only one and one alone shall hold the emerald and take the thrown._** Only one daughter can gain the thrown." A dark magic came from her hands and choked the life from DG. Glitch grabbed Harry's hand. The Queen gave up her life force to bring the DG back and whispered the location of the emerald and that she'd have to make her leave.

When it was done and they'd had a moment to gather their thoughts, Harry asked them to follow him. He led them to Sirius' work place and asked Raw to tell him what he could see. He waited until the viewer caught his breath and then Raw put his hand to a mirror on the wall. They watched as the older daughter planned a prank on the door to the office. When Sirius walked in, he was hit with pink powder that, when cleared, turned him into a cat man. Harry laughed. Glitch asked him, "Is that your Godfather?" "Yea," it was odd watching Azkadelia play and laugh with Sirius after they'd watched her kill DG. They could all tell this Azkadelia was younger, but still. What happened to the sweet little girl they saw now? DG asked about it, but no one knew what to say. It was obvious, watching Sirius and the girl play, that they'd loved each other and had a similar relationship that DG had with the Queen. Harry frowned and wondered if being married to the Queen made you the King. He asked Glitch but Cain replied, "No, the O.Z. has always been ruled by the women. Your Godfather would have been the Queen's Consort." Harry snorted; oh Sirius must have loved that.

Just as the mirror darkened they heard a husky female voice say, "Mother and father never could leave well enough alone." They all whirled around and Harry gasped. This was the older girl from the mirrors, but he could feel the evil aura around her. She blanched when she saw him and backed up a little holding her stomach. Suddenly she threw her back strait and from then on ignored his presence entirely. _'What the fuck was going on?_'

"Azkadelia." Said Glitch and Cain growled at the emergence of Zero and his troop. Harry put a restraining hand on Cain's arm. He was weak he couldn't take them all right now. He looked for some kind of weapon while Azkadelia played with DG. DG had the location of the emerald, and the witch wanted it. "How can I tell you what I don't remember?" DG asked her. Azkadelia smirked and tossed her a container that seemed to hold their mother. Harry could tell that the woman wasn't in it though. The witch put on an innocent face when DG asked what she did with her. "Put her away, for safe keeping, like any good daughter would." Her face hardened and Harry got a glimpse of something else, someone else. "Some where you'll never find her." DG threw the container on the ground and they all tried to make their escape during the ensuing chaos. Cain got caught and Harry had to leave him to fight it out on his own, tearing his heart out in the process. Glitch cried out, but Harry pushed him onward. They'd come back for him.

They ran down the stairs and Harry heard the witch say "wait" he didn't know what evil spell she was going to cast so he yelled at them to run faster. He was hit in the back by an animal of some kind, its claws digging into his flesh. Two others played with Glitch and Harry yelled at him to run, but one got him too. Three landed on him, tearing at his flesh. Harry growled but he couldn't throw off the animal holding him down. The flying monkey things trapped Raw and he called out for DG or Harry. He was terrified. The witch said to "bring him". DG was gone from Harry's sight but if he couldn't fight the flying things, she had no chance. He heard her scream, but was distracted by the sound a gun shot and of breaking glass from above. Glitch screamed and Harry knew he heard it too. The monkeys playing with Glitch left, all but one that waited to bash his head against the marble floor. They brought DG and Raw to the witch, the one on him picked up his head and smashed it into the floor.

He lost consciousness.


	6. Getting to know you

iAN:/i "speech"

'_thoughts_'

_Glitch writing in the notebook_

**Harry writing in the notebook**

**Chapter 6: getting to know you.**

Harry woke up and groaned. His muscles were sore from lying on the cold floor. Suddenly his memories rushed back, and he lunged forward with the force of them. His body demanding action before his mind caught up with it. He crawled over to where his Glitch was laying. 'Please please be okay.' He rolled him over and felt for a pulse. Nearly crying with relief when he found one, he assessed his magic stores and was surprised to find them fully charged; only missing just enough to wake him up. It must have taken the chance to make him sleep and get recharged. He waved his wand at Glitch "Enervate" Glitch shot up and looked around. He smiled when he saw Harry and the younger man pulled him into his embrace, "Harry, I remember." Glitch tried to start their ritual, but Harry couldn't do it. He needed to tell him before something like this happened again and he lost the chance forever. "I Love you Glitch," Harry whispered into his zipper. Glitch gasped and pulled back to look at him. Harry smiled nervously.

"Really Harry?" Harry nodded.

"Yea Glitch, Promise." Tears fell from Glitch's eyes, and Harry grew more nervous.

"No one's ever said that to me." Harry didn't have the heart to say the standard, 'that you remember' he just nodded.

Glitch tilted his head like he was trying to remember something. "There's something I should say now isn't there?" Harry laughed. "Not if you don't mean it." He helped Glitch stand up and asked him if he hurt anywhere, "Nowhere but my head, but that's normal…or I think it is." Harry nodded, he probably had a concussion; well the both probably did. He remembered Cain and reminded Glitch who insisted they go up and look for him.

They found his hat and gun next to a broken window. Glitch looked out and saw a hole in the ice and a body half out of it, he pulled Harry to the window and pointed at it. Harry told him to meet him down there through the door and jumped out the window after pointing his wand at himself and saying 'Wingardium Leviosa'. Glitch blinked but followed directions.

When he finally got around the mountain to them Cain was out of the water and Harry was drying him off and casting spells on him. "Help me get him to the car." Glitch nodded. He didn't remember who the blonde guy was but he knew he was important, not only to Harry but to him too.

They finally got him to the car and Harry told Glitch to go find wood. He had all sorts of thoughts, memories, running in his head. All about Harry. Harry said he loved him. He skipped a little. Ah what a wondrous feeling. He twirled around in a circle, spilling the wood he'd collected. 'Bother'. He bent down to pick them back up. He loved his Harry there was no question, although there was a question about the blond man. He cared about the blond man too…so there was a question? Oh forget it.

He went back to the car and opened the door. That jealousy feeling was back. Harry was taking off Cain's clothes. "Cain" He cried out, he remembered. Harry smiled at him. The blonde was covered in scars. Something thumped on the floor out of Cain's coat pocket and Glitch bent down to pick it up. It was a wooden horse with a bullet in it. He handed it to Harry and sighed, "This saved him."

He took the wood and made a small fire. It wouldn't take much to heat up the small space. Glitch sat next to Cain and wiped the melted ice from his face. His Harry loved him, Cain was safe. Everything was well.

Cain opened his blue eyes, blinking in the light. Where was he? There was a hand on his face "Adora?" the hand moved and he tried to focus his eyes. "Glitch" he smiled, but it wasn't _his_ smile, it didn't beam, or even meet his eyes. What was wrong?

"Nothings wrong Cain." 'Harry', good they were both alright. He couldn't have gone one if either of them were gone. Not even revenge would be enough. He took a deep breath and tried to tell them, "I'm glad you're both alright". It was as close as he could get. Harry nodded, but didn't smile. They were both subdued. "What's wrong?" he looked down at himself, checking to make sure he was unharmed. Glitch answered, "You called out for Adora, and it makes us sad." "Glitch" Harry hissed at him, Glitch looked as bewildered as Cain felt. Why would saying his dead wife's name…..wait! He sat up and then grunted as his muscles protested. Harry helped him sit, "You have to slow down, you had hypothermia, and you're still fighting it." Harry tried to pull away once Cain was up, but he grabbed his arm. "They're alive. He said they are alive." He expected his friend to be happy for him, and was therefore angry when Harry's eyes shuttered a little before the smile came. "We'll help you find them Cain."

"Harry!" Glitch protested, and Harry shot him a dark look. Cain drew back at their odd actions. He'd never seen Harry treat Glitch that way. He would find out from Glitch when Harry left, if he ever did. He got his chance a few hours later, when Harry left to relieve himself. It had been a tense few hours, but Cain didn't know why it was that way.

He pulled his gun on Glitch, "Alright, tell me what's going on now." He cocked it. He wasn't going to use it, it was habit to get the answers he wanted. Glitch didn't even look at the gun, his dark expressive eyes locked on his face. "Don't you feel it?" he asked. He wasn't exactly sure what he zipper head was referring to. He shook his head. "This feeling, that your important. I sometimes forget you, but I always remember the feeling. It's the same feeling I have with Harry. It's why we made the promise."

"What promise?" Cain had asked before but there was never time. Glitch moved to pull out the notebook they were always writing in. He opened it to the first page and handed it to Cain.

** This notebook is for the things Glitch remembers, so he will never have to forget**.

**I Harry Potter, promise to always let Glitch stay with me and to keep him as safe as I can, as long as he wants to be by my side**

_Even if he's a bother or can't remember me all the time. _

_Glitch and any other names he was called,promises to always remember _

_Harry Potter and all the memories and feelings associated with _

_Harry Potter, unless Harry Potter says the phrase, "Glitch I don't want you to remember me"_

_ which will prompt Glitch to stop remembering anything he wouldn't remember normally, _

**or if remembering Harry Potter would put Harry Potter bor Glitch**

** and any other names he was called**_, in insurmountable danger;_** insurmountable as **

**determined to Harry Potter's standards**

Cain looked up. "So this is why you always remember him?" Glitch nodded, "He said it was magical and the magic made it happen." He thought for a moment, and pushed aside his jealousy, he wanted Glitch to remember him to, and he wanted Harry to always let him be by his side. He shook his head and pointed the gun back at Glitch. Was the zipper head trying to side track him?

"This doesn't explain what's going on here." Glitch took back the notebook.

"We did this because we have a connection, and we have one with you too, but you have a wife and a kid, and now their alive again. What happens when you find them? You won't need us anymore." He stopped rambling when Harry threw open the door. Cain felt momentary sadness that neither man started their annoying ritual. Cain lowered his gun.

"Glitch, go outside." The headcase almost argued, but a look from Harry silenced him. He mumbled under his breath while he left. Harry let him pass, but didn't move any further into the car when Glitch was gone. Cain decided to start, he was a tin man he could do this "Do you feel it too." Harry nodded, his eyes boring into Cain's scull.

Neither spoke for a while, until finally Harry moved to sit next to Cain, "Neither of us want to take their place. We couldn't even if we wanted to." He opened his mouth to say more, but Cain knew that neither of them were good with words, or feelings. Cain reached over and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling it into his lap. Harry leaned into his shoulder.

He wasn't good with feelings but he knew that Adora was dead, even if she wasn't. It would never be the same with her. he would always see her die. It was time to let her go...of corse that didn't mean he wouldn't avenge the death of his marrage.

Cain laced their fingers together and he could hear Glitch singing in the snow. Harry snorted and Cain turned to smile at him. The smile froze on his face when he looked into Harry's deep green sorcerer's eyes. Those eyes marked immediately as a magic user. The queens were lavender, DG' were blue, Azkadelia's were black and Harry's, green. Cain's own blue eyes were superficial, not magical in the least.

Harry's lips parted and Cain licked his lips. He leaned forward to press against Harry's soft warm mouth. They both held each others' eyes. It was soft and short, but it held so many meanings. It was a beginning. It was hope.

Harry leaned back and opened his mouth to ask, but stopped. Cain nodded. He knew the sorcerer wanted to know about Adora. "I don't remember her anymore. When I think about her, all I see is them taking her. All I feel is pain and rage. She's just a feeling now. I can't remember her favorite color, or how she smells. Even if we do find her.." He shrugged.

"And your son?" Harry whispered.

"I want to find him, but he was so young. What if he hates me?" Harry shook his head. "You can ask him when we find him." Harry kissed him again softly, and pulled Cain down to rest his head in his lap. The older man thought about protesting, but he was still healing and didn't have the strength. Harry called for Glitch to come back in.

The zipper head bounded in and stopped and tilted his head just inside, "Did I miss the party?" Harry chuckled and Cain blushed. It had been so long since he'd blushed. "Shut the door headcase you're letting in the cold." Glitch did so and snuggled into Cain, resting his head on Harry's legs. "You feel it now?" Cain nodded. "Good, I'm tired Harry." Cain felt a hand on his shoulder and pulled Glitch closer to him. "Go to sleep, I'll keep you safe." Cain drifted off to Harry's deep voice singing softly in another language.


	7. On the Road again

**Chapter 7: On the Road Again**

Cain snored, because of this; Glitch didn't get the two hour rest he wanted. They had to head out as soon as Cain woke up from the nap. DG and Raw were captured and this adventure just kept getting more important.

They trudged their way back to the Sorceress's tower. As they neared it, Glitch felt it's shadow creep into his soul. Not one to allow dark thoughts to keep him down, he thought about the next best thing to Harry and Cain to keep his spirits up, dancing. He'd been talking about dancing since the shadow hit them.

"Dancing is all about rhythm and rhythm comes directly from the soul." He told his Harry and Cain. He saw them share amused looks over his zipper, but he knew that he could dance. "I bet I can dance better then either of you." He proclaimed as they watched the teams of Long Coats patrol the tower.

Harry laughed and agreed with him but Cain called his bet. Glitch huffed. He would show them.

They decided that the best way to get in would be to get uniforms from a small team, and infiltrate that way. They snuck up on a team of four Harry spotted that were hidden from direct view in between some hills. Glitch decided this was a perfect time to show them how well he could dance, and used graceful fluid movements to dispatch of the four guards. They were not even remembered, he just reacted. Flashes of instances where he'd danced like this before slid across his consciousness, but he paid them no mind.

Harry had seen him dance this way before, but Glitch took extreme pleasure in the expression of dazed befuddlement on Cain's face. It took a lot to surprise a boy scout.

They quickly donned the uniforms over their clothes, and Cain formed them into proper team formation; like a triangle, Cain in front, flanked by Harry and Glitch. He told them not to talk or smile, and Glitch wanted to do the opposite just to bother him, but a look from Harry stopped him.

Glitch followed hazy memories in the direction of the dungeons. He wasn't looking forward to being in there. He couldn't remember what happened down there but he knew it wasn't good.

He needn't have worried; somehow DG got Raw and herself out and were following a small dog.

Harry immediately distrusted the dog, he could tell it wasn't really a dog, but DG trusted it. They had to move quickly when the alarm sounded. The little dog led them out a vent tube and to the outside. It was too easy and Harry's distrust increased.

They followed it to a river where they stopped and hid the uniforms. The little dog stopped and Harry felt the air around them shift. The dog warped and contorted until a pudgy black man stood in its place. As soon as the contortions started Harry and Cain trained their weapons on it. Raw growled at him.

"Whoa, I am a friend of your mother's." the man said to DG. Harry and Cain shared a silent conversation and decided to allow the man to think DG was in charge. "She sent me to help you find the emerald."

Apparently to DG and Cain it was plausible, and Cain put down his gun. Harry, unsure if they were right, also lowered his wand. He decided to not pull it anymore and to tell the others to keep his gift silent until the dog man was gone.

Cain turned to DG, "what about the Mystic man?"

DG's eyes softened, "He's dead, she killed him. I'm sorry." Glitch put a hand on Cain's arm, and DG's eye's widened when he didn't shrug it off. "How?" Glitch asked her. "She sucked out his life." Harry shivered thinking about the Dementors, but didn't mention it. He didn't trust the dog.

The shape shifter readjusted his weight and said that they should move. Cain almost chuckled and told him, he wasn't coming. Glitch, with his usual optimism, argued that the man should come with them; he did help them after all. Harry made a note to himself to speak to Glitch about trusting their instincts more.

"I know you, you are Wyatt Cain, tin man for the mystic man, you're DG and you are Raw." Cain raised his gun, "How do you know our names?"

The dog man pulled out a wanted poster with everyone but Harry on it. He looked at Harry, "I don't know you." Harry smirked at him and hit Glitch when he was about to introduce him. "I don't know you either."

"Look I'm sorry if I upset you, but there's really not a good time to pull the whole beast into man moment, you just kinda…wam… and hope for the best." His antics pleased DG and Glitch, but Harry wasn't convinced.

He reached into his coat and pulled out a doll in a green dress, it triggered a memory for DG. Harry watched with suspicion as the doll started spinning and flew into her hand. "Toto! You were my tutor."

He nodded, "Magic is in your blood, your mother put a spell on your memories."

She looked introspective and said, "I've been told to find the grey gale." Then her gaze sharpened and she asked how her mother could have told him anything if she was in Askadelia's prison. "She came to me…in a dream." Harry tired not to laugh. A flimsy excuse like that deserved nothing. The man looked far to relieved to think of any excuse at all.

DG nodded and told them, "the mystic man said to head south."

Glitch nodded and wet his finger to try and find south. Harry laughed at his expression when he couldn't get a wind. The zipper head nodded decisively and started off East. Cain grabbed his arm to pull him in the correct direction. Harry chuckled and eyed the dog man one last time.

Cain waited for him to catch up and told them that south led through the Papey fields. Harry groaned, last time was so much fun.

After a few hours of walking, Harry is hit with another vision:

_**The beautiful woman from the first vision was banging relentlessly on a door with a grim and a swan on it. The door opened and an older Sirius appeared. "Az, can I help you?" Sirius' voice was cold and sharp. The relationship between the two had obviously deteriorated. **_

_**Sirius' expression turned to shock when he saw Azkadelia crying. "You have to take him, you have to take him away. She will kill him. Please daddy!!" She fell into his arm and Sirius kissed the top of her head in reflex. "I'll take care of him love, but then I'm going away. I can't see you like this." **_

_**She nodded and sobbed in his arms. **_

Harry's vision white'd out as he came back to the present. Glitch and Cain had either arm and were stabilizing him. "Another vision?" DG asked? Harry nodded. "What was it?" Harry looked at the shape shifter who was not hiding his interest well and shook his head. He was not about to tell, what could be a spy, anything.

They continued on at a fast pace. Harry set it hoping that the dog man would give up and leave them. He didn't, just changed into the little dog and barked at them. Harry hissed at him, "If you give away our position I will gut you myself." Harry was satisfied by the little whimper that escaped the annoying canine.

They made it to the Papey fields with little issues, but had little hope to pass unscathed. Glitch and Raw told them the story of the Papey. "It used to be a beautiful orchard. The fruit so sweet it made the taste buds sing."

"What happened to it" DG asked.

"No one knows, about 15 annuals ago they just all died." Glitch says, "You'd think someone would have made something to help…a dohicky…or a thing…with other…things.." he shrugged and continued on walking, not remembering their current conversation.

Raw growled out, "Papey were peaceful, farmers now hunters."

They heard growls behind them and Cain shouted out, "Runner Scouts!!" They ran until they were surrounded. Cain shot at them until he ran out of bullets, they all looked at Harry desperately begging him to do something, but he can't use magic in front of the spy. He pushes Glitch behind him. If it get's to bad he'll use it and obliviate the dog man later.

Slowly they backed up into a tree and Glitch cried out to DG to do something. She raised the marked hand, but nothing happened. She backed up into the tree more and cried out in fear.

Just as she put her hand on the branches, a pulse of strong magic flew from her and into the tree. It started growing and swiftly produced fruit. The group's eyes widened in surprise and the scouts bowed to them, humming.

Swiftly they flew out of there, not turning their backs on the hunters until they are far clear of them.

Harry glanced behind them once more just in time to see one of the monkey bats land at the edge of the field. He watched it, waiting for it to move. It just took off, and flew back in the direction it came. He turned around to the others to see if any of them noticed. Toto looked nervous and Harry snarled at him. "If I find out you're betraying us. You will wish the sorceress had killed you." He pushes past the terrified man and trudges to the front of the group, setting up a grueling pace.

~~o0o~~

Cain wiped the sweat from his brow and checked the state of the others. Anger is pulsing from Harry in waves and not even Glitch has the courage to approach him. DG and Glitch seem to be hanging in there but both Toto and Raw need a break. He runs up to Harry.

"Harry, we need to take a break." Harry snarls and him and Cain grabs his arm forcefully. He ducks a swing and pushes Harry away from him. He doesn't know what's wrong, but he will be damned before he lets Harry hurt them.

Harry stumbles back and then shakes his head. Some of the anger leaves him and he looked up at them all sheepishly. Cain noticed that he didn't look at the dog man. "Sorry guys, I'm being a dick. Lets take a break." They all nod and the shape shifter and Raw collapse on the ground.

Cain walked as close to Harry as he could get, facing the other direction and says in a low voice, "I don't trust him either, but it's better to have him near us and know where he is and keep an eye on him, then to have him follow us and not know what he's up to." The tin man could see Harry disagreed but was happy when he nodded.

They decided to stay in a clearing not far from where they stopped and have a rest. DG falls asleep almost instantly. Glitch curls up with Harry and Cain keeps watch. Raw leaves to search for food. Toto wants to leave with him, but Cain won't let him out of his sight. He huffed and sat down as far from Harry as he could. Cain chuckled seeing it. _'the sorcerer sure scared the tar out of that one'_

Raw returns with food just as DG wakes up on a gasp. "Did you have a vision princess?" Harry asks her, Cain assumes that calling her princess must be code for 'your aloud to talk about this in front of the spy' because she does. Although, it could be that she would have anyway.

"Azkadelia told me that we used to be friends, I didn't believe her. But now I'm not so sure." She looks at Harry who nods, so she continues. "In my dream I'm scared and my mother holds me on a swing in a special place, a beautiful place by a lake."

Cain takes a bite of an apple and says, "There's about a hundred lakes south of here."

"I don't know which one it is!" She cries as she stands.

Glitch corrects her from the safety of Harry's arms, "You know princess, you've been there before."

She throws her arms up in agitation, "But I can't remember it!"

Glitch, their resident expert on remembering or not remembering things, says softly, "Try, what was it like?"

She closes her eyes and focuses inward. Eventually she says, "Magical"

Cain laughs when Harry groans as they get up to follow DG. Cain noticed that she has a tendency to run off after she gets a new memory. "To get to lake country we'll have to go over the crack." He tells Glitch and Harry. They nod, and Cain catches the dog man dropping something. He pushes it to the back of his mind but makes a note to mention it to Harry later. While they walk, Glitch reaches out to hold Cain's hand. And he can feel his ice heart melt a little bit more. Adora never wanted to display casual affection like this.


	8. The Decision

**Chapter 8 : The Decision**

DG refused to let the group rest. She was frantic in her desire to reach the magical place in her memories. Harry chuckled when she smarted off to her supposed tutor when the shape shifter complained.

Glitch stumbled along behind him. Occasionally, Harry or Cain would reach out to stabilize him. Harry knew that the connection was growing between the three of them. He was grateful for it. He had no notion of how to handle romantic things and so relying on, what he suspected was a magical connection, allowed him to express his feelings effortlessly.

He assumed that the tin man was similarly appreciative. It was an assumed fact that neither Harry nor Cain had any real warm feelings for anyone but Glitch, although DG and Raw conjured protective emotions, and so had no reference for displaying them.

Glitch was theirs. Theirs to protect and to love on, but they were also his. As he watched Glitch speed up slightly and move to stand next to Cain, Harry wondered at how strong his feelings were becoming. '_Did the tin man feel the same? Does Cain crave my presence like I do his? Does he see the looks Glitch shoots at him?' _Questions floated along in his consciousness without needing real focus.

Either Cain felt the way they did, or he didn't and would rejoin his family when they found them. It was a major worry of Glitch's but Harry knew that ones duty was sometimes stronger then emotional interests like lovers or friends.

"I'd give my last synapse for a juicy apple." Glitch whined. It was the fourth time he'd said it. He obviously didn't remember complaining about it for the last hour, or the apple Cain gave him, that he finished not 3 minutes ago.

DG slowed down and Harry paused to watch her, her memories were coming hard and fast since the 'visit' with Azkadelia.

"Apples…" She bent down to pick one of the rotten apples off the ground. Cain brushed Harry's thigh with his hand as he walked by and Harry had to stifle a growl. It was a game they were playing. They would try and arouse the other with seemingly casual touches and intense looks. So far neither of them had broken, but Harry knew he had less self control then the man who'd been stuck in an iron can for 8 years. This game gave Harry hope that is feelings were returned.

DG turned to look at them with wonder in her eyes. "There was bear, it came at us and she grabbed my hand. It was so powerful. She said that nothing could hurt us as long as we were together." Harry frowned. "Sounds like you have either compatible magic or shared magic."

DG took up a position at his side and waited for him to collect his thoughts and explain. He'd only heard of this in passing during charms in second year. One of his classmates had brought it up as a possible defense from the Heir of Slytherin. Harry tried to remember what the little man had told them.

"Compatible magic is rather self explanatory; two people who have magic can join it together to cast spells. The spells will be stronger together then they are apart. Joined magic is different. It's common among twins. Magical_ identical_ twins are really one person that has been split in two, so they have only one magical core between them and will be so connected that they can read each others' minds and emotions and have a lock on their position. They can cast spells separately but will be weak unless they are working together." Harry smiled thinking about how this knowledge had changed how he thought about the Weezley twins. "Magical _fraternal_ twins have separate cores because they are different people, but they were so close together during the formation of their cores that sometimes they entwine. In this case, each person would have strength in and of themselves, but would almost be unstoppable together." Harry remembered that Flitwick had told them that fraternal twins were very rare and the last two had ended up being Headmaster to Hogwarts and Minister of Magic in 1430.

Harry noticed that his lesson had caught the attention of the spy and pulled his wand to cast a secrecy spell on him, cursing himself for not thinking of it earlier. He smiled at DG. Her wide eyed wonder made him chuckle.

"I'm not sure which you have, your not twins so it's unlikely that you have joined magic. It's probably compatible, but I don't like to rule anything out without studying it." He laughed at his pompous attitude. He'd never studied anything of interest at Hogwarts; he'd just made Hermione do it. And what a wonderful idea that had turned out to be…

Sometimes he forgot that he was really 16. His body here was 26 and so his attitude had changed to accommodate. Not that he'd ever really been a child.

Cain motioned for them to slow and gestured for Harry to come up closer. They peered between some shrubs. "This is the crack, there are Long Coats everywhere."

The dog man pressured them to go on, to hurry. "I'd rather be slow and breathing anytime." Cain responded, sardonically.

While Harry perused his mind for a solution, Cain took in the landscape. Suddenly he gasped and pointed at a cabin with blue smoke. He smiled at Harry and grabbed Glitch's hand, pulling him toward the cabin. The rest of the group followed, although the dog man did so reluctantly. "If you want to go over now, I'm sure you can find us later." Harry said innocently, as though he wasn't pushing for a way to get rid of the man. Toto sneered at him and hurried his pace. Chuckling, Harry let him get away with it.

Cain stopped in front of the cabin when a voice sounded out, "Stop there strangers. State your business." A man and a woman walked out from behind the corners of the house and leveled their guns at the group.

Cain held up his hands in supplication, "We are travelers of the realms seeking a warm meal and a cold cup of grog." He said calmly and slowly.

"There is barely enough food to go around and all the grog has long since been seized." The man said to them.

Cain paused and when he spoke again it was with a new purpose and meaning, "May your Hearth be warm." The man lowered his gun and looked at them in surprise. "And your smoke be blue." Harry nearly snorted at the pass phrase. The blue smoke was cool, but anyone could wish you a warm hearth. It was a common farewell in the wizarding world.

Once in the house, Harry expected the woman to put down her arms, but she made Cain put his weapons on the table. He gestured to Harry with the gun. "I'm not armed." He said. She snarled at him and gestured again. Harry looked at Cain for assistance. There was no way in hell he was putting his wand on the table where the spy could get at it. "He's a pacifist, ma'am" Cain said.

The man pulled his wife aside and they spoke in a harsh whisper. Harry didn't pay attention. Either the man was like Arthur Weezly and would be pushed over, or he was like Vernon and would make her see his way.

Finally the woman said to sit around and let the kids out of the closet. Harry growled at them. "What is the meaning of this?" He snarled and Glitch stepped in front of him.

"They probably put them in there to keep them safe." He turned to the couple who were shielding their children, "You don't make them stay there when it's not dangerous right?" They shook their heads slowly and Harry let the tension leave him. He nodded at them in apology but didn't offer it vocally. He would always react that way if he suspected child abuse.

The room was silent and Cain racked his brain to find a way to make it less tense. "I'm hungry Harry." Glitch said, relieving him of the duty. Harry looked at him and the desperate anger that was burning in them was gone. Harry nodded and asked the woman of the house if he could make them food in return for shelter until nightfall. She nodded and pointed to the kitchen. Cain hoped the woman stayed in the room with them instead of following Harry. He was sure that Harry would be using magic to make enough for everyone.

"We'll shelter you until nightfall. It's never safe to cross anymore, but cover of night will help." The man told them.

The tin man listened as the man told them about rumors of a horrible machine. As the man spoke, Glitch shifted further into his side, almost like he was seeking protection from the discussion. "they're pushing minors until they drop in the mines."

"What mines?" Dg asked.

"Moritaniaum mines." The man answered.

Glitch started whispering and it caught Cain and DG's attention, "Moritaniaum Mt number 216 on the Ozian periodic table." When he noticed Cain's blue eyes on him he spoke loud enough for all to hear, even Harry, who'd come out from the kitchen to hear the discussion. "It's valuable not only for its strength, but for its ability to conduct magical energy." DG asked if they were making a weapon.

"No, it's a Sunseeder, not a weapon." Glitch said adamantly.

"What's a Sunseeder?" Cain asked.

"I don't know….but it sounds cool….oh wait! I invented it." He sat up in his excitement and Cain saw Harry's shadow grow closer.

"What's it used for?" DG asked, moving closer to him and getting in his personal space. Cain scowled at her when Glitch leaned back to get away and she wouldn't let him. "I can't remember."

Her eyes took on a determined shade and she said, "I'm sorry but I have to know. Raw?"

Harry stepped forward, "That's enough. You are not going to just pull his memories from his mind. You may be…" he stopped and looked at the man and woman, "important, but you can't just do that to people." He leaned forward and got right up in her face, "Or do you want to be like her." He hissed.

Glitch put a restraining hand on Harry's back, "It's okay. We need to know. Just hold my hand?" Harry looked at him for a long moment before finally nodding, and Cain moved out of the way.

DG put Glitch in a chair near the mirror on the wall and Harry crouched next to the head case, whispering reassurances. Cain felt detached emotionally. Almost as detached as he'd become in the iron suit. He didn't feel connected to the intimacy visible between the two. Intellectually he knew he should be on the other side of Glitch, but he couldn't make himself to it.

He'd always prided himself on his adherence to the law and no matter Harry's reassurances to the contrary, Glitch was a head case, a criminal. This would be proof of Glitch's criminal activity. He knew that it would drive a wedge in their growing feelings.

In his heart he knew that this was wrong, untrue, but he'd long grown accustomed to ignoring it and had no hardship falling back into the practice.

Raw put one hand on Glitch's head and another on the mirror. Cain felt his chest constrict when Glitch whimpered in fear. Harry's calming whispers served to calm Cain too.

**In the Mirror**

_**Glitch, dressed impeccably in the new version of the tatters he wore currently, **_

_**kneeled at the feet of DG's mother, the Queen. **_

"_**She's seized the City, the 4**__**th**__** has fallen." He told her, "London has defected."**_

_**She gasped, "But he was our most loyal!"**_

"_**There is no law other then Azkadelia's, my Queen. She tried to get the **_

_**plans to the Sunseeder but I destroyed them."**_

_**She put a hand on his shoulder, "She will come after you." She told him. **_

_**His face gained a desperate quality, "you are the strongest person in the O.Z. you could stop her." He cried. **_

_**She shook her head and looked solemnly out at the lake she was facing, "I gave up my power to save my angel." **_

_**Azkadelia came to the garden to capture her and the old Glitch was arrested. "Take Ambrose to the alchemist." Azkadelia ordered. **_

_**A flash and Glitch was tied to a hard metal slab, Azkadelia's alchemists cackling beside him. "Count back from 100." One said evily.**_

"_**No, don't do this." Ambrose shouted**_

"_**99"**_

"_**It won't work." **_

"_**98"**_

"_**97" **_

_**Abrose screams and the mirror goes fuzzy.**_

"_**96"**_

Cain felt crushed beneath the oppressive weight of his shame. Glitch had given so much, and Cain had doubted him all along. He looked up at Glitch's voice.

"Hello, my name's Glitch?" his voice tilted at the end in question as his mind caught up. He looked to the side and Cain had to force himself to look at Harry.

The sorcerer had his eyes closed, trying to suppress his tears. Cain understood, if he could remember how to cry, he would be also. "Are you ok Harry?" Glitch asked him. Cain knew the sorcerer wouldn't be able to answer so he did it for him.

"He'll be okay in a minute."

Glitch's eyes widened in worry, "Is my Machine so bad?"

Cain shook his head and grabbed one of each of their hands to pull them into a three way hug. "No sweetheart, you gave up so much to stop her."

Harry pulled Glitch into his arms and curled up in a corner with him until full dark. Glitch didn't remember what they saw and he was glad. He asked Harry not to tell him what was in the mirror. He knew that his Harry didn't get this emotional over small things. The only time he'd seen Harry like this was the one time Glitch had been captured by bandits and nearly raped. Harry had told him that he was so upset that time because he knew Glitch wouldn't have remembered if it had happened before. It was a truly horrifying thought and Glitch refused to dwell on it.

Toto stood up and Harry tensed beneath him. "It's time to go, its full dark, the moons haven't risen yet."

Glitch watched Cain as he went over to the princess. '_Princess? Who? Oh yea DG is a princess…well…that's neat.'_ She was crying and Glitch listened hard when Cain asked her what was wrong.

"It's all my fault. She gave it up to save me. Because of me Azkadelia took over." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and Cain tried to comfort her, patting her awkwardly on the head.

Glitch tried not to laugh, it probably wouldn't be appropriate to laugh at the tin man's comforting techniques while he was dropping eaves.

"Some things are out of our control, but we need you DG. You have to let it go." Cain told her. She nodded and tried to control her sniffles. Glitch wondered what caused sniffles, were there little sniffle bugs in your nose that controlled snot and when you cried they got flooded and had to work really extra hard? He shook his head. That was silly. He probably wouldn't have even entertained the idea if he had all his brain.

Cain waited until the whole party was out of the cabin before saying his thanks to the couple. He was distracted, however, by a little wooden horse, just like his, on the table. He snatched it up, "Where did you get this?" He had to force the question past the lump in his throat.

"A Resistance fighter made it for us some years ago. He came through with his mother."

"Jeb." Cain whispered.

"Yea that was his name. How did you know?" the man asked him.

He answered absently and followed the others. His family really was alive. What was he going to tell Harry?

The man led them to the zip line through the forest and Cain listened absently to Glitch distract DG.

"Yea I knew her, she was a lot like you, feisty and fair." Cain caught up to Harry and held out the wooden horse. The sorcerer took it and looked at him. Neither man needed to say anything. There was pain in Harry's green eyes and Cain's heart twisted seeing it. Harry nodded and reverently handed it back to him. Cain put his hand over Harry's on the horse and they continued listening to Glitch and DG like that.

"Do you remember her name?"

"Of course I remember her name, it is a beautiful name. It's….um….bother." Glitch hung his head and Cain saw Harry smile in the dark. Glitch's quirks amused Harry no matter the situation.

"It's okay Glitch."

Glitch stopped and held both her hands in his, "I do remember that she was happy to make the sacrifices she thought were right, we should all love someone so much." DG nodded and Cain felt a heat in his chest he almost didn't identify; pride. Their Glitch was a truly magnificent creature.

They made it to the zip line without any problems. And Harry volunteered to go first to catch those on the other side. Glitch followed quickly, complaining about his fear of heights. Raw whimpered the whole time. DG looked eager and Cain had to remind her not to cheer out.

The shape shifter said the line wouldn't hold his weight and shifted into a dog. Cain snorted but obediently picked him up. He didn't want to listen to DG whine the whole way. The man who sheltered them stopped him as he grabbed onto the line.

"Your family crossed over some years ago. They said they had a cabin next to the only white elm in the valley, about three spans north." Cain nodded his thanks and held on tight to the handles with one hand.

"If you shift, I swear I'll drop you." He said to the dog in his arms. He maliciously entertained the idea of dropping him anyway, but can't get around cold blooded murder, not even in his current frame of mind.

Harry caught him and pushed the dog out of his arms. He grinned at the yelp of pain. Cain didn't move out of Harry's arms for a moment. He needed the strength. Cain dropped his head to Harry's shoulder and took a deep breath. In less then an hour he would have to decide his future. To stay with Harry and Glitch or go back to his wife, either way he was keeping his son.

Luckily Harry seemed to understand even if Glitch didn't. He didn't move or rush him, even when they heard DG whisper to Raw asking what was wrong. "Heart pain." Was the viewer's obscure answer and Cain made a note to give the viewer the best section of food at next meal.

After soaking as much strength as he could, Cain pushed off and trudged off North. He heard the dog man arguing with the others about following them, but didn't stop. Harry and Glitch would follow, he was sure, and even if DG and Raw didn't they could find them later. He needed to find his boy and wife.

Just at day break Cain saw the white elm and started running towards it.

Harry watched him run with a heavy heart. They could loose him today. He'd quietly explained it to Glitch and the zipper head was talking about dancing again. Harry knew that topic was like a 10 on the pain distraction scale.

The dog spy said, "We don't have time for this."

Harry snarled at him and gave into the desire he'd had all day to push him to the ground. DG tried to hold him back, but Harry wasn't going to do anything else. "traitor." He told the man coldly and started following after Cain's voice as he called out for his wife and son. He knew DG and Raw would follow, if only because they couldn't do this with out them.

He caught up to Cain and his heart constricted at what he saw. There was an iron suit in the yard. Cain lifted a shaking hand to open it. Harry saw Cain breathe out in relief and walked over to look in. Empty. Good.

Cain didn't look at him or Glitch and Harry understood it. He would make his decision today and whatever it was that would be how it stayed, but to make it he needed to find his wife and son. Looking at them, seeing their pain or indifference would alter his decision before he saw them.

Harry and Glitch followed at a more sedate pace; holding hands. A cry of pain forced them to speed up. Harry watched Cain collapse next to a grave and Glitch whimpered. Harry turned his zipper head so he couldn't see. Glitch didn't deal well with death. Harry waited to find out who was buried there. It was either his wife of his son.

He let DG walk over to Cain and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He had to close his eyes when Cain leaned forward to press a kiss on the grave stone. Cain lent back and Harry can see that there were no tears running down his face. He wondered if they've been transferred to Glitch, because his shoulder was becoming uncomfortably wet. He knew Glitch had given up hope of keeping Cain with them. Harry privately agreed but refused to turn away until Cain let him know one way or another.

After a while Cain stood up and walked over to Harry and Glitch. DG, Raw and the tutor stand to the side, silently watching.

"Come, I'd like to introduce you to my wife." Harry forced a blink, but followed when Cain led them to the grave.

"Adora, I'd like you to meet Harry and Glitch." Harry looks at Glitch to see if this is crazy but Glitch smiles at him. '_It must be another of those obscure ozian things'_

"I loved you Adora, but you've been dead for me for 8 years. I'm going to try and be happy with these two. I think you'd approve."

A weight he didn't know he had, lifted from Harry's chest while he listened. Cain was saying goodbye. They weren't going to loose him after all. He squeezed Glitch tight to suppress his relieved laugh.

"I'll find our son. I promise. Goodbye Adora." Cain pulled off his wedding ring and set it on the grave.

Raw walked up and put a hand on Cain. "Jeb alive. Lives to honor you. I feel it." Cain nodded at him and put a hand on Raw's shoulder. The viewer winced but did not say anything.

DG handed Cain his hat and smiled at the three of them. Harry was glad she approved, not that it would have bothered him if she hadn't. It just would have been annoying dealing with her.

"Let's get a move on." Cain said and Glitch laughed. He grabbed one hand from each of them and pulled them into a joyous run.

Inappropriate, but the head case could get away with almost anything.

**AN: I know Cain really put his badge on the grave, but that signified to me that he would avenge her. the ring is meant to signify that he is no longer married. that he's said goodbye and chosen Harry and Glitch. I'm not sure how Jeb will deal with it. i'f my dead father who i was fighting the war for came back from the dead and was with two men...I'd probably continue to opperate as if he was still dead but...what do you think? REVIEW and tell me.**


	9. Romantic Interlude

**Warning: **there is some mature cursing in this chapter. the title is romantic not sexy. there is no slash. romance is feelings to me..so...

**Chapter 9 Romantic interlude: **

They waited for only a moment more before heading on the road again. Harry, noticing the fast approaching eclipse, put them on their 100 steps running 100 steps walking routine, to get them as quick as possible in a southerly direction.

DG caught up to him on one of their breaks and tilted her head in a considering manor. "You know how sometimes when the world around you is cracking up its easier to focus on something else?" He nodded with a smile, he hadn't given a passing thought to the fact that his parent's weren't really his parents. When everything calmed down he might. "Well, I've been focusing on your parent thing." He scowled at her, that wasn't any of her business. "You know how your visions are about Azkadelia and about your godfather taking 'him' away?" She made quotations in the air when she said 'him'. Harry nodded, eyes narrowed. He didn't like where this was going. "Well I think you are that him." Harry snorted. Duh. "Was that it princess? Any other leaps in logic you want to impart to me?"

Her eyes widened at his tone. "Well," She paused and looked down and Harry huffed as the guilt got to him. How did Snape do that all the time? "Sorry, I just…I don't really want to think about it. I didn't know my parents then and so I don't see why its important to have some now." DG smiled at him hesitantly and he returned it. He put a hand on her shoulder and used her to pull him from the tree he was leaning on. Before he could tell them that break was over Glitch came up and Harry knew from the blush on his cheeks that he'd been eavesdropping. He held out an arm so Glitch would know to come in for a hug. He just looked at it funny and Harry snorted to himself. He should have known better then assume his head case would know what body language was.

"I was wondering. You said your godfather only told you that he left clues to find your mother. Who is your father?" Harry's eyes widened as the pieces clicked together. He sat down hard, his legs unable to carry his weight.

Sirius left him clues to find his _mother._

He had visions of Azkadelia begging Sirius to take away a male.

Sirius took him before he was born and put him in Lily Potter's womb.

Fuck.

He was Azkadelia's son.

Glitch and Cain gathered around Harry and kneeled to his sides. They looked at each other over his head. Why would asking about his father make him react stronger then his mother? "He looks like he figured something out." Cain said. Harry was staring at the ground between his feet like it had just bit him. Finally he looked up and seemed surprised that they were all gathered around him concerned. "How old is Azkadelia?" He asked them. DG frowned and shrugged; she couldn't remember. Glitch spoke up, "Well she used to be eight years older then DG. So assuming that there are no time discrepancies on the other side, I'd say she still is."

They all looked at DG and she said, "It's impolite to ask a lady her age." Harry laughed a bit too hard, like it wasn't really funny but he needed something to laugh about right then. "We're not asking your age. We're asking Azkadelias' age." She frowned confused but answered anyway. "Would be 30."

Harry hummed and asked, "How old do you think I am?" they each answered somewhere between 25 or 20.

He laughed again. "Before I came to this place I was going to turn 16." They all looked shocked except for DG. "But your godfather said that time moves differently in the veil, whatever that is." Harry nodded.

"Best I can figure it, I was either in there for 10 years or it just aged me. I don't have 10 years worth of extra memories. Just that when I woke up in that field I was 10 years older physically."

Cain sat back on his heals and looked at Harry seriously. "Your 16?" his voice was gruff with suppressed emotion and Harry and Glitch picked up on it immediately. "Mentally. Although I must say I've never really been a kid." Cain stood up and looked away.

The others, sensing a lovers' spat, left them alone and settled down for a longer break. "You're just a kid."

Harry stood up and grabbed Cain's arm when he tried to turn away. "Listen…" he stopped. If this was all it took to tear Cain from them, then he must have been waiting for a reason. He dropped Cain's arm and Glitch gasped. "Alright Cain. I get it." He turned away and told them all to get up. That it was time to move on again.

Cain stopped him. "No way I'm following orders from a kid." Harry, his back to Cain, froze and bowed his head. Glitch saw Harry close his eyes in pain, and whimpered. When Harry looked back up, Cain was struck by how cold his eyes were. He gestured for Cain to take up the rains then. His eyes didn't leave Cain's and the tin man wondered just which one of them had been locked in an iron suit for 8 years.

Cain's heart clenched and he furrowed his brow. He didn't mean to hurt the kid. He shook his head. Looking at Harry he couldn't think of him as a kid. This man had taken care of all of them. Kept their hopes up. Kept them from detection. He'd even gone on an assassination with Cain. It failed but he had gone. No matter how old he was mentally, Harry wasn't a kid.

Cain felt ashamed of his words. Harry and DG had a lot to deal with right now. They all did but Cain knew his past. Harry didn't and he didn't have memories of his parents and life before like DG did.

Swallowing his pride he walked up to Harry. The sorcerer's eyes didn't change but Glitch's turned hopeful. He could only spare the zipper head a glance. He stopped as close to Harry as he could get without pushing him over. Neither man raised their arms and so their closeness was awkward but Cain refused to insult Harry by embracing him.

"I'm sorry Harry. I just…its so…sometimes…" He huffed. He was no good at apologizing. Adora had always hated him for it. He took a deep breath but was interrupted by Harry's whispering. None of them wanted their business to be broadcast to the spy but it needed to be said. "It's okay Cain. I didn't really expect you to stay with me, with us. I knew you'd take the first out. It's okay.." Cain stopped him by pushing him over and standing over his fallen form. "Shut up. That's not it. I'm having trouble yes, but you think I would be with you even for a while if I didn't want it with everything I am? You were waiting this whole time for me to change my mind?" He was outraged. Cain didn't think he'd ever been this mad at anyone he didn't immediately shoot.

He realized that he'd been shouting and crouched down by Harry. Glitch was already there, his hand out to help Harry up, but not touching him. "What I feel for the two of you terrifies me. I've never…even with Adora." He growled. He was no good with this feeling shit. "I thought you were a kid. I needed to get my head around it. I'm sorry I snapped at you. I didn't really mean it. What bothered me was that I didn't _care _that you're younger then my son. I don't care Harry." The last part slipped out so quietly that Glitch and Harry barely heard it.

Glitch decided that since the cold had left Harry's eyes it was over and he tried to lighten it up. "What a bunch we are. You're really a kid. I have no brain. Cain has no idea how to express himself." He threw his arms out dramatically and said, "How ever will we survive?"

His men chuckled at him and it warmed his heart. He loved his Cain and Harry. A jolt of a memory hit him and he remembered what he should have said to Harry in the ice tower. "I LOVE YOU TOO" he shouted it and Harry and Cain looked at him like he'd lost the rest of his marbles. "I remembered what I was supposed to say." He said to Harry sheepishly.

Harry laughed out loud and fell on his back holding his sides. Glitch smiled watching him and explained to Cain who looked on confused but happy. "In the ice tower he said he loved me and I knew I was supposed to say something back. He told me not to say it if I didn't mean it…." He frowned and hit Harry on the arm, "You stupid, of course I meant it. I just couldn't remember I was supposed to say it."

Cain watched them bicker, amused. They loved each other. It had been obvious the first time he'd met them. He also knew that they loved him too but he wasn't sure how to tell if he loved back. He thought he loved Adora but then after they had Jeb it…changed. They fought all the time. He picked the fights so he could sleep in the guest room. Sleeping with her had become taxing. They hadn't been intimate since they found out she was pregnant. It wasn't enjoyable for him and he wasn't about to do something he didn't like. Not even for his wife.

Lost in his thoughts Cain missed Harry and Glitch sneak up. They planted a kiss on each of his cheeks and he jolted up. They laughed softly at him and Glitch said, "We love you too Cain." Harry smiled, "You don't have to say it back." Glitch stood up and looked down at his men while putting on commanding airs. "That's right we need to get going. Up men." He pointed south on the road, "Men and princess hoe.." he started marching forward for a while but then after a few steps he stopped and looked around, lost.

His face was heartbreaking when he turned around and realized that they hadn't abandoned him. "Harry! Cain!" Cain's heart sped up at being included in the remembering ritual. "I forgot what I was doing and thought you left me!" Cain surreptitiously glanced around and saw that Raw and DG were sitting next to each other and were looking at the three of them sadly, as though they pitied him and Harry for having to deal with Glitch. He snorted. Glitch's forgetful spots were a blessing in disguise. Every time Glitch remembered them, he was so happy. His whole face lit up in a smile, pure beauty. The emotions Cain felt when he saw that smile were many and confusing but Cain knew that the smile meant that Glitch loved them and was overjoyed to see them. It was more then he'd felt for a long time. "He pulled Harry and Glitch into a hug and said softly for their ears only, "I love you too."

They stood like that for a while before the dog man interrupted them, "this is sweet and all but we really need to get going."

Harry frowned at him but nodded and pulled Cain and Glitch into a jog, knowing the rest would follow.


	10. What to do with breadcrumbs

**Summery: Finally some action in regards to the spy and more magical explanations. **

**Chapter 10: **

Harry kept them at a steady and fast pace until they came upon a fork in the road. They stopped and Harry looked at Cain and DG for directions. While Toto instructed DG with her memories, Harry took a look at their surroundings to try and identify the feeling prickling at the base of his neck. The feeling that told him he was being watched with malicious eyes. A shuffle in the leaves of a tree above them caught his attention and he looked up and narrowed his eyes at it. Faintly he could see the outline of a brown shape he assumed was one of those monkey bats.

He grunted but decided to wait for it to move, since wasn't sure what it was, before he did anything about it. It would still be in range of a stunning spell for quite a ways if it tried to fly away. At the moment it appeared to be waiting.

Harry listened with half an ear to DG. "This looks familiar. I remember her swinging me on a swing and the sun is reflecting in my eyes…. and the breeze …off the water." She walked a short ways down the right fork, her eyes still closed. Glitch took up the new path and started down it in a decisive manor. DG quickly shook her head, opened her eyes, and ran down the left fork instead. Harry waited to see what the monkey bat thing would do and Cain took off after DG, trusting Harry to get Glitch. The monkey bat did nothing and so Harry assumed he had mistaken it.

He ran after Glitch and grabbed a hold of him. As they are walking back to go down the correct path, Glitch saw something shiny. In another time Harry might have been amused at Glitch's fascination and obsession with shiny things. Instead, all Harry could focus on was the chaos that ensued.

Toto screamed out "no" and the brown streak, Harry had correctly assumed was a monkey bat, attacked. Cain shot it, and just as the life left it, Harry felt a dark cry of anguish that resonated in his bones. He felt as if the cry should have shaken the world, but none of the others seemed to notice it.

Glitch reached down to pick up the shinny that started all the mess and stared at it in his hand. It's such a little thing. He handed the little disk, colored like an oil spill, to Harry and shrugged. He hoped that Harry would give him the shinny back; he hardly ever got to keep them. He didn't even get one of the shinnies that DG had when they met her. He jumped in joy that he remembered that and Cain put a restraining hand on his arm. Glitch sighed happily. His men never rebuked him for acting silly or distracting them. They just pushed him around so he was not in danger and sometimes they even smiled at him when he did it. 'Oh Harry is speaking, I may want to remember this.'

"What was that all about?" Harry asked, shifting his attention back and forth between the disk in his hand and the dead bat thing on the ground.

"Well, it's over so I think we should just pretend it never happened." Toto said, waving his hands at his side nervously. Glitch noticed that he was sweating again. He seemed to do that a lot. Glitch wondered if there was a doohickey that one could use to clear that up. Maybe a fan, which was powered by magic that you could hold in your hand…or…what was he thinking? Oh well better pay attention again.

"Pretend it never happened?" Cain asked the tutor incensed. "That thing attacked Glitch and it was obviously following us. When she figures out its dead, they'll be all over this place." Harry mumbled, "She already knows," and no one questioned how he knew that.

The shape shifter said, "Well that's all the better reason to get out of this place."

Glitch started to get nervous about the copious amounts of sweat the man was extruding. He dug out a rag from his pocket and handed it to him. "You'd better be careful. If you make a habit of sweating that much you'll likely dehydrate."

Toto waved away the rag and both Harry and Cain turned to focus on him intensely. Glitch wondered what happened to catch their attention.

Harry, always willing to answer his mental questions, said, "You always seem to sweat more the more nervous you get." Cain nodded, "I wonder what you have to be nervous about?" They both slowly saddled up to him, like cats playing with a mouse and Glitch felt a female hand on his arm. He turned to look at DG with a question in his eyes. She put a gentle pressure on his arm and Glitch remembered Harry telling him how that was a directional guidance move. Logic dictated that she wanted him to move back. Glitch submissively acquiesced, but wondered at the cause.

When he turned back to where Harry and Cain were cornering the man, he saw that Toto had reflexively put one hand in his pocket. Glitch saw a flash of something shinny in there and yelled out. "What's shinny in your pocket, can I have it?" Harry grabbed Toto's elbow and tore his pocket in an effort to remove the man's hand from his pocket.

A handful of the little shiny disks fell on the ground and Glitch whimpered. Oh how he wanted one. Harry had the one he'd found. It was his. He found it fair and square. He opened his mouth to yell at Harry to give it back, but DG put a hand on his mouth.

He tried to shake her off but stopped when he heard an animalistic growl from Harry. Cain stepped back in shock, and Glitch shook off DG. He wasn't sure of much, but the last time he'd heard that growl, Harry had torn a limb off a guy who was trying to hurt him. The guy deserved it, but Glitch really didn't want Cain to get mixed up in it.

He ran up and pushed Cain behind him. Cain grunted and pulled him behind him and pointed his gun at the shapeshifter.

"Remember what I told you would happen to you if you betrayed us dog?" Harry's voice sent shivers up and down Glitch's spine. It was barely more then a whisper, but Glitch would have bet the rest of his marbles that not even the witch could sound that malevolent.

Glitch knew that DG has a kind soul and so was less then surprised when she called out to Harry. "What's going on? What has he done? What are those things?"

Harry grunted and Cain figured that was his cue to take up the explanation. "He's been leaving bread crumbs." Glitch spoke up from behind him, "The shinnies?" Cain almost chuckled at Glitch's obsession but he held it in. "Yea, She's had an inside man."

"Tutor?" DG asked in a small voice and Cain winced at the realization that she'd need an explanation from the man. Gods save him from bleeding hearts. He watched Harry lean back slightly and knew that Harry understood her need.

Toto wet his lips and his eyes moved rapidly from Harry to Cain to DG. "For 15 yeas…15 years she had me down in a dark hole. She came…..Azkadelia offered me my freedom…if I tracked you." He focused his pleading gaze directly on DG, sensing that she was his only hope. "If I'd said no, she would have killed me. So I figured…" he swallowed, "That I could at least keep her off your back while I helped your rediscover your magic."

"Bullshit" Harry spat just as Cain asked, "why drop the disks at all, why not let us get away clean?" It didn't matter what his answer was, Harry would probably kill him anyway. Cain felt the little law man inside him grumble, but they were in war, people died in war; traitors died in war, or you did.

"You know as well as I do that that would never have worked. I was bought us time."

Harry, apparently fed up with lame excuses said, "I think its time to put this dog down." DG ran up to him and Cain was happy to see that she knew better then to touch the sorcerer while he was in this state. "We're all looking for second chances." Harry grunted, "I'm not" but Cain could tell his murderous attention was way-laid. Cain's tin man was pleased but the rest of him was weary that they would now have to keep watch over the dog.

"Thank you." Toto breathed out. "That doesn't mean I trust you, but I don't want any one to die." DG grumbled.

Harry coughed out a chuckle, "Well, we cant just let him continue to follow us, and we can't let him go...."

Without hesitation, Cain pulled his gun and shot Toto in the thigh.

The shape shifter went down with a startled scream and Harry and DG looked at him. "Harry can you turn something into metal?" Harry nodded. "Then make him a metal jacked for his dog form and we'll put him on a short leash." The grin that came over Harry gave Cain duckbumps and both he and his inner tin man agreed that it was a good thing the grin wasn't pointed in their direction.

"Shift." Harry ordered the man. Toto let out a long whine as he slowly changed into his little innocuous form. Harry bent down and picked up two leaves and a rock from the ground.

This would actually be complicated. Transfiguration could only do so much. He could change properties of things, but what Cain was proposing was permanent and a full material change. Something like that wouldn't stay that way for very long without a rune stone. Ron had talked him out of taking Ancient Runes, even though he was interested in it. So he'd done quite a bit of personal study on it when Ron was away. He was remorseful that he wouldn't be able to learn more here. Maybe when this was all over he could find a way back and get some more books.

The rock was rather perfectly formed for what he wanted to do to it. It was roundish, but it had three almost flat sides, like someone had beaten it on the ground until it flattened out.

He pulled out the yew wand, which had more experience with Runes and would therefore allow it easier and traced out the _Jerda _rune, which absorb and hold the magic he put on it preventing the magic he cast on it from drying up and reverting, on one flat side. It flared yellow as he traced it and then settled down in black on the stone. Harry let out a relived sigh, he wasn't sure he remembered the proper way to trace it; muscle memory was a wonderful thing. On the opposite side he traced the _Tamara _rune, which would prevent animagus changes and make it indestructible. On the final side he traced the _Flarka_ rune, he had to shift the things in his hands a little to make a small cut on his arm and dabbed the rock, _Flarka_ side down, in the blood. This would lock and key the spells to him and only his spells. The _Flarka _rune was actually the one he'd used obsessively after he'd found it at school. No matter the magic cast on it, this rune could not be broken by anyone not of his blood. His only fear had been that Voldemort actually had his blood in him.

Some days the thought that technically Voldemort's new form made him Harry's son, had caused all sorts of panic.

Harry put down the rock next to the two leaves he'd picked up. He used a runic tie to attach the leaves to the rune stone and then transfigured them into a collar and leash. Next, he put the leash and collar on the little dog and the stone on his back. Harry transfigured the stone into a metal jacket that didn't restrict his joints in anyway.

He was rather satisfied with his work. It had been some time since he'd created anything like that.

He tilted his head curiously at them, "Are we get going then?" Glitch chattered at him in amazement at all the possibilities of his magic as they walked down the path DG had chosen.

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**An: the duck bumps are an idea that made me giggle. what if there were no geese in the O.Z.? What would happen to goosebumps? let me know if the magical theory was hard to understand. I like knowing how things work and so i try and make it up as i go. The runes are just made up words that sounded okay. they dont mean anything. You're welcome to use them provided that you let me know so i can read it. **


	11. Questions?

-**For those of you who've not seen the movie, worry not. I will explain what DG saw in the next chapter..or DG will and I'll be writing it. I'm having a hard time controlling my tenses so if you're unable to understand a part of it let me know and I'll take another look. This chapter is supposed to show, that Glitch is relying on both his beaus now not just Harry. Hope you like. **

**Chapter 11**

Cain watched the foliage on the side of the road for any movement while Glitch quizzed Harry on the possibilities of magic. DG was listening intently and Toto the dog strained against the leash to hear. He couldn't figure out how he got stuck with dog walking duty. Sure it had been his idea, but surely one of the others was more suited to walking a dog.

Suddenly DG stopped walking and tilted her head to the side as if she was listening to something. They all stopped to watch her and Cain saw Raw rub his arms as if to ward off a chill. It was amazing what one could learn if one watched the reactions of a viewer. Raw probably didn't even know he was doing it. It was his usual reaction whenever either Harry or DG had a vision.

Before Cain or Harry could stop her, DG took off running down the path, laughing. Harry paused at the top of a hill overlooking a labyrinth of bushes just in time to see her disappear into them. "Fuck" Harry cursed and Glitch gasped his name. "I don't like this." The sorcerer muttered and Cain had to agree with him, but if they didn't follow, they'll never find her again.

He ran down the hill to go after her and the others followed him. He called out for DG but she didn't answer him. Harry pulled out his magic stick and said, "Point me" the stick spun on his hand and then pointed down the left turn. They followed Harry; he ran as quick as he was able when he had to stop at every turn to say the spell again. Eventually they ran out of the bushes and gasped at the sight that met them.

DG was sitting in a rotten swing in a dead forest. There were no animals, no leaves, nothing but death. The tree's barren branches reached up to the sky and they had been arched by a fire, giving them the appearance of screaming in pain. Raw and Harry both shivered, both feeling the death that permeated the air in different ways. The swing, the only thing in the place not destroyed, sighed forlornly as DG moved on it and was the only noise that met their ears.

Glitch spoke but his voice was soft, as though even the head case knew better then to interrupt the solemn presence of the place. "magical waters is right. That's what Fenaqua means in the ancient language. Not sure about the translation now though." Harry put an arm on his shoulder and Cain stepped up to help support Harry.

Raw whimpered and shuffled closer to Glitch and the zipper head opened his arms to the viewer, offering wordless comfort. This place gives Cain the creeps and he hopes they won't have to stay here long.

DG whispered to them, "This place used to be paradise."

"Not paradise now," Raw grumbled.

"This was one of the first places Azkadelia scorched when she came to power." Cain told them. "Well she didn't leave much." Harry whispered still struggling with the pain the forest was metaphysically shouting. It was not near the destitute misery caused by Dementors but still...It felt hopeless, bewildered and lonely as if the forest itself couldn't understand why this had happened to it. It felt like tainted innocence and betrayal.

"No," Cain agrees. He'd heard that it had happened but he'd not been here before or after. It didn't really affect him either way. He could see now though, how the loss of this place could have been a moral blow to those who enjoyed its magic and comfort.

A wind blew through the dead forest, bringing the sound of children singing with it. DG sat up in shock, "What was that?" She took off running and Cain and Raw took a few steps to follow her. They stopped at Harry's voice. "No, let her do this alone. There's nothing alive here that can hurt her. Only death here, only memories here." His voice settled into a whisper and Glitch struggled to hear him. He was getting worried about his Harry. Something about this place seemed to pull at Harry's energy. Glitch could almost see it flowing out of him, as if the forest itself was using him as nutrition. It had been doing it to DG too, but to a lesser degree. She just wasn't as rich a food source.

Glitch pushed Harry to the swing and made him sit down. He poured some water on a cloth and wiped Harry's sweaty brow with it. Cain stepped up behind him, "Whats wrong with him?" Glitch opened his mouth to answer distractedly, but Raw answered for him.

"Place needs Harry's energy. Using it to heal." Cain's forehead creased in that adorable way it does when he is thinking heavy thoughts and Glitch reached a finger up to push on the skin there.

"I don't think it wants to hurt him." Glitch told Cain and the tin man nodded, but the crease didn't disappear. Glitch huffed and turned his attention back to Harry's shaking form.

The wind danced around them almost joyfully and the forest almost hummed with power. Its excited, waiting for something to happen. Something that has been foretold. It pulls more power from Harry and even Raw and the shape shifter. They both gasp, Toto wines, and Harry arches into Glitch. Cain grabs the viewer and makes him sit and readjusts his hold on the leash, but then goes back to stand by Harry.

Harry arched and cried out and the forest seemed to thump. Just one beat but it resonated in Glitch and Cain. They looked at each other in concern but there's nothing they can do, they really have no clue whats happening. The Toto dog barks and strained against the leash, pulling towards where DG ran.

Harry stood up, shaking, and told them they should go find DG. That she might need them. Glitch shrugged at Cain and they each took an exhausted man to help them follow the Toto dog.

Cain paused when the dog led them to a cave. He doesn't particularly like the feel of this place and even though he knows he'll need to go after DG if she's in there, he doesn't want to do it carrying an exhausted viewer.

Harry hummed and pushed off of Glitch. He stood on his own and, although he was still stumbling a little, he walked into the cave. Cain shook his head but he followed.

They followed the sound of sobbing and Glitch held in a whimper when they found DG. He doesn't know why she's crying but whatever happened, her pain is tangible. Raw stumbleed over to comfort her, and Glitch buried his head in Cain's neck while holding Harry's hand. DG is so strong, whatever she saw, Glitch knew it would change everything.

"I'm so sorry my sister. All this. All that has happened, its my fault. I never should have let go."

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**please review I do so like to hear from my readers. **


	12. Visions

**Chapter 12**

_**DG's vision**_

_DG hears two girls singing, "Two little princesses..." One of the little girls, the smallest, the one DG recognizes from the mirror as her younger self, stops and stands up. "What is it" young Azkadelia asks. Her voice is sweet and concerned. "Do you hear that?" Young DG asks. She starts to run off towards the crying on the wind she hears. Young Az calls after her, "Your adventures have a way of getting me into trouble." She huffs and runs off after her younger sister. DG follows the vision children. Young DG stops at the entrance to a cave. The crying voices are inside. She runs inside just before young Az can stop her. DG watches as young Azkadelia shivers in trepidation just before calling out, "You Adventures have a way of getting me into trouble." again before she follows her sister into the dark cavern._

_Young Az catches up to Young DG and the younger girl calls out "Hello?" Young Azkadelia finds an old lantern and lights it with her magic. Her smile of triumph makes DG smile._

_Young Az lights up the wall Young DG is staring at and they see ancient pictures. "Its the picture language of the Ancients." She tells her younger sister. "What does it say Az?" Young DG asks. "At the dawn of time...dark and light battled...and the light concerned over the darkness...and something about an evil witch." Young DG shrugs and turns towards the sound of crying. DG and Young Az run after her. They catch up when Young DG pauses at the sight of a large rock sculpture of an evil screaming head. They crying seems to be coming from inside. "Lets go" Young Az grabs her sisters hand and tries to pull her out of the cave. Young DG shrugged her off and put her hand in the mouth of the sculpture. DG jumped back when Young DG started screaming. Something in the mouth was pulling her in, Young Az grabed her arm and tried to pull it out. They were both yelling and crying now. Their joined arms started glowing and the mouth exploded outward, blowing them backwards. They landed on their backs._

_The crying got louder and Young DG peaked in the open hole to see what it was. DG could see a small girl in an old fashioned blue dress crying into the wall. "Are you okay?" Young DG asks as she takes a step closer. Young Azkadelia steps up next to her so they can grab hands if they need to. "We'll go get our parents wait here."_

_"No" the little girl snarls. She transforms from the sweet little girl into a hideous old hag. The lighting in the room changes and the girls glance up to see monkey bats crawling around on the walls and ceiling. "I've been waiting so long." The hag tells them hungrily, crawling towards them. Young Azkadelia swiftly grabs Young DG's hand and their closed fists glow._

_The hag focuses on the glow and her hunger sharpens. DG shivers in revolution. She can feel the evil flowing off this hag even in the echo of the vision. "Such power." The hag gasps. She looks up and smiles evilly at them. "Let go." Bile rises up in DG's throat. "NO!" Young Az says calmly, trying to be strong for her sister._

_"LET GO!!" she snarls at them and Young DG screams and runs off. She turns back at her older sisters screams and cries. The hag has both hands on her face and is holding her steady while the monkey bats fly into her. Just as they touch her she rocks and the monkey bats meld with her. The hag melds into Young Azkadelia's face and Young DG runs._

_DG falls to her knees and the vision changes. Young DG has run to her mother on the swing. She's crying and the Queen holds her and asks whats wrong. "Az she fell and I let go." The Queen shakes her head, "There's Az, its okay." But the Queen's expression changes as Young Azkadelia gets closer. She's pulsing with evil and her smile makes the Queen shiver. "Yes mother, I am fine." She smiles at Young DG and the little girl turns to whimper into her mother's neck.  
_  
_**End of Vision**_

Harry blinked once, and then once more. What a vision. They were sitting next to the swing. Raw was holding DG, as he had been since she started telling them about her vision. "OK. Let me make sure I understand." DG nodded absently and Harry understood that she was completely overwhelmed by what they had discovered. "Azkadelia is possessed by an evil witch." She nodded again. "So, Its the evil witch that's been doing all this." Glitch gasped and Harry watched Cain struggle to keep the zipper head in his lap. Glitch had a tendency to stand and shout when he had a memory. "It was the witch who took my brain!!"

Harry shook his head. The witch. He had no idea how to stop a possession, they'd not ever covered that in DADA. They probably would have, but Luna had pushed him into the veil. For the first time, that thought wasn't accompanied with a flash of anger. He liked his life here. Sure there was an evil witch out to kill them, but he was used to that. He wasn't the hero of this adventure, he was a supporting character. And he had Glitch and Cain here.

He watched his zipper head cuddle into Cain's chest and smiled.

"Well," Harry started, he paused because he wasn't sure if he should say this and take away from DG's distressing vision. "I guess that means it was really Azkadelia that asked my Godfather to take me away, and it was because the witch would kill me." Glitch ran to Harry and pulled him into a big hug, a huge beautiful smile splitting his face.

"That means that in some part of her brain, Azkadelia loved you."

Raw nodded and gruffed out, "Yes, Az loves Harry, but witch is scared. Won't let princess see." Harry's forehead creased in confusion. The viewer was hard to translate sometimes. He shrugged and figured that eventually it would all fall into place. That was just his luck.

He concentrated on the steadily increasing weakness that settled in his bones. The forest wasn't done, something else was coming. He buried his nose in Glitch's bouncing curls and inhaled deeply. He wasn't sure the princess could handle another draining vision. He knew that the forest was pulling from her too and that was not really helping her get over her distress.

"Its my fault." She whispered and Harry was glad Cain took over comforting her. He wasn't good with women ever but female emotions were completely beyond him. "You can't blame yourself for that kid." He sunk down on his heels next to her and Raw.

Glitch followed his ass with his eyes and Harry chuckled. He was going to have to do something about the unresolved sexual tension they were all having before it exploded.

"It's because of me that the witch got out." A lone tear fell down her face and Harry refrained from rolling his eyes. Was he this melodramatic when he was young. He huffed a little when he remembered that, yes, yes he was. It must be a prerequisite for heroship.

"you were just a kid." Cain told her. "But I ran." She shouted at him. Cain gave her a scolding look, and she blushed for yelling. "You're not running now are you?"

She smiled weakly and Harry got sick of the tension. He made faces at Glitch which made the headcase chuckle.

Harry heard a male voice in the forest whisper to DG. He couldn't make out the words but the princess said, "Your light will shine in a place that is dark. Its where you will find a message about your future and your past."

"Was that a memory?" Glitch asks him. Harry shook his head but didn't answer otherwise.

"Flat rocks fly round rock die." Harry blinked a few times and made a few crazy gestures to Glitch. His zipper head giggled and Cain clapped him on the shoulder. Harry turned to wink at him and Cain rolled his eyes, a small smile pulling at his lips. They were so great together, the three of them. Harry swore that he'd never give this up for anything. He reached down to mesh his hand with Cain's. They'd not been displaying their feelings physically and it was bothering Harry's 16 year old sensibilities.

DG stood up and dug around in the ground next to the swing. Glitch arched up in front of Harry to look in his eyes. "How is she going to find anything when the house and lake are gone?" Cain shushed him and Harry winked. When this was all over, he was going to tease Cain about having a daddy kink.

She uncovers a pile of rocks and digs around. She straightens up holding a 'perfect' skipping stone. She kisses it and whispers. "I hope this works." She 'skips' the rock on the ground of the forest and where the rock hits the ground a splash rises from the dirt. Glitch gasps and Harry can feel the magic the forest had drained from them rush by him.

The trees are enveloped in a bright light. When the light is gone the trees are sinking into a lake that's rising up from where the rock disappeared. When the magic settles, Fenaqua looks just as it did before Azkadelia scorched it.

Glitch and DG gasp. A peaceful feeling envelops Cain and Harry and neither have to wonder why this place is so sacred. The hope and beauty of the place bring warmth to their cold hearts in a way that only Glitch had been able to before. The headcase turned in their arms and hugged them both, tears falling from his eyes. Each man buried their faces in his hair.

They pulled apart at the sound of a vaguely familiar woman's voice. The Queen spun up from a bowl on the Gazzebo. "DG if your hearing this message then you have overcome much on your journey for find the emerald. The emerald of the eclipse contains the power to being either light or darkness to the oz. As you know, now the evil witch of the dark lives inside your sister that. Is why she knows not of my plan and why I can only entrust the emerald's power to you my angel."

DG waves her hand in front of the Queen, there no reaction. Her eyes stare straight ahead and do not follow DG as she walks around her mother. "Make haste south to the realm of the unwanted. There you will find a man named Ahamo he will help you on your journey to save the O.Z., to the grey gale, to the emerald."

The Queen sinks back down into the bowl and Harry shook his head. What was with adults giving critic instructions. If she just told her where the emerald was then they could get the emerald imediately. Instead they had to go on a journey find someone they didn't know, probably get another riddle and on and on...

"Wait! Who is Ahamo?" DG yelled into the bowl.

Harry chuckled, "You know that wasn't really her right? It was a memory?" DG turned and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed again. "Ahamo was your father." Glitch tells her and Harry had to let go and double over to with the force of his laughs. Ahamo, what the fuck kind of name was that Sirius? Why didn't he just keep his old name? Idiot. Oh he was going to rub this in when he found the old dog.

Quickly before he forgot he shrunk the bowl and put it in Glitch's pocket. He didn't want to risk someone coming along and finding it.

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**please review I do so like to hear from my readers. **


	13. Realm of the Unwanted

**Chapter 13 realm of the unwanted. **

Glitch skipped through the field, the yellow grass pulling at his pants, pouting. He knew he had been here before. He knew it was important, but he couldn't remember. He skipped up to Harry who smiled at him.

"I've been here before." Glitch demanded.

"Yes, this is where we met Glitch."

A wide smile broke out on his face and Harry had to chuckle. Pleasing Glitch had become almost as important as stopping the witch.

"Oh yea!" Glitch then did an odd dance over to Cain, who could hear them perfectly well, to tell him. "I met Harry here!"

"Did you?" Cain said. Sometimes it felt like Glitch was much younger then he was, but then the innocence of only having half a brain would do that to you.

"Yep. It's funny." He rolled his eyes when no one asked and said it again louder.

"What's funny love." Glitch grinned at Harry momentarily distracted by Harry's nickname. He shook his head to get the synapses to fire right.

"Its funny that you landed here Harry and this is where your Godfather is. Isn't that why you came here? To find him? You could have been with him this whole time." Glitch laughed at the irony and then an abstract thought distracted him from his humor. "But then, you'd never have met me.."

Cain wrapped an arm around Glitch's shoulders. "And he wouldn't have met any of us. It's better this way. Things have a way of working out."

"I hope you're right." DG said. Her worry and stress had become more obvious as her story unfolded. Harry and Cain, even being not quite as sensitive as Raw, could still see the strain this was having on the princess.

"Don't you know DG? He's Wyatt Cain. He's always right." Glitch joked. Cain caught him in a head lock and gave him a harsh kiss on his zipper.

"And don't you forget it Sweetheart."

Just then the shape shifter Toto barked and drew their attention to a wooden trap door he found. It revealed a ladder that disappeared into the darkness which lead down a long dark tunnel and opened out in an underworld city.

Glitch was nearly beside himself, glitching repeatedly as he tried to see and understand everything. The odd people in their colorful outfits, some spitting fire, some selling flashing wares, each drew Glitch's attention. Harry and Cain kept a hand on his arm so he wouldn't run off.

Harry, seeing the odd features and clothing of the people in this new place asked Cain, "So this is the Realm of the unwanted? Who are the unwanted?"

"Criminals, living experiments gone wrong and Outlaws." Cain said, grabbing his gun tighter. He'd chased plenty of people down here, and been undercover to many times to trust that they wouldn't be pick pocketed.

"And your father is down here." Glitch commented to DG. "Hey look." He ran over to a window. It was a woman, or a machine, in a glass window that said it had answers.

Like a child, Glitch held out his hand to Cain for the required payment. Harry handed Glitch one of his transfigured platinums which disappeared in the box.

The woman moved jerkily like a machine and opened her eyes, extra arms waved around like serpents. "Can't say they didn't welcome us with open arms." Glitch joked. Harry grinned at him.

"Questions are answers unspoken." The woman said in a thick accent.

"Isn't it cramped in there?" Glitch asked without thinking. He frowned when he realized he'd wasted their question.

"References to tight spaces; Answer yes" She said moving the extra arms.

"Where can we find Ahamo?" DG called out.

"answer: ahamo is hard man to find." She said.

"You know him?" Glitch said, excited. Arms pointed to the money box but Cain, who was sick of games, waved his gun.

The woman rolled her eyes and said, "Answer: not personally no.

DG rolled her eyes and pulled Glitch away from the window saying, "thank you for nothing, good bye."

The woman spoke quickly, "Not here in the realm, but I know someone who might know answer: the seaker."

"Where can we find the Seeker." Harry asked. Arms pointed in every direction.

The golden clad woman moved and showed them that the arms were two girls behind her. She came out from behind the window and told them. " The Seeker doesn't speak to just anyone. He doesn't like strangers."

"He'll like us." Cain said gruffly, "Where is he?"

"I may arrange meeting. Twenty platinums." She said decisively. Overriding Glitch's protestations Harry said "Done. Where is the meeting place?

"A local tavern at edge of the Realm. Meet me there at the rising of the first moon at midnight."

Harry rolled his eyes at the dramatics, "We'll be there."

She left and Harry allowed Glitch to distract them with the fanciful treasures found in the underground world. While the four of them hid Harry, he created another bag of silver coins to pay the woman.

They found out that the next moon wasn't until the next night so they had to find somewhere to sleep. They used Harry's platinums to get two rooms at a hotel. Cain, Glitch, and Harry got one room while DG pulled Raw and Toto into another, grinning and winking at them.

As they entered the room, Harry and Cain were aware of the tension that seemed to grow deeper with every moment. Glitch however bounced around the room, looking out the windows and checking out the bathroom. He stopped when he noticed the only bed, something Harry and Cain were very conscious of.

"There's only one bed." Glitch said without inflection. Just as Harry and Cain began to reassure him he grinned and bounded over to them. "That means I finally get to sleep with both of you!"

Harry and Cain promptly choked on air.

Posted to LJ only

Cain and Harry were only able to buy themselves a few hours before they grew tired. The room was secure and Harry cast wards that made it doubly so. There was no reason for either of them to keep watch and they both knew it.

Their unsubtle staring match was broken when Glitch began to strip. He pulled off his shirt, revealing pale skin and lean muscles. With his arms raised up high, Glitch stretched, unaware of Harry and Cain standing nearby watching with darkening gazes.

He bent down to untie his shoes, showing off his ass and flexibility and Harry moaned. His stamina was understandably low, being only 16 in mind and a total virgin. He didn't have the ability to be nervous as his whole world narrowed down to Glitch's pink nipples and long legs as they were bared.

He leaned hard against Cain who wrapped his arms around Harry's stomach and buried his hands under Harry's shirt.

When Glitch turned to find out why the room was so silent he found Harry and Cain watching him with hot, desperate eyes. He swallowed, suddenly aware of the tension and prowled closer.

He hugged them tightly, pressing his nearly naked body against Harry's front and Cain's arms. Both men moaned and then attacked. Harry kissed Glitch deeply, pulling his curls down to get a better angle, while Cain kneaded Glitch's ass and feasted on his neck.

Glitch was barely aware of Harry backing him up to the bed while Cain stripped economically. He did notice when Harry was replaced by a shirtless Cain.

Harry watched them together while undressing, Glitch's dark curls and lashes against Cain's pale skin. Cain was hulking, enveloping Glitch in strong arms. When Cain released Glitch's mouth to suckle on hardening nipples, Harry was there.

Glitch, while not fully understanding many things, knew exactly how to call out, how to move, how to draw his men in closer. He played them with his body until they were positioned where he wanted them; Cain leaning over Harry's back who was between Glitch's legs.

"Please, I need you, please." Glitch cried brokenly and his men responded.

Harry's magic rushed in the room and both his and Cain's hands were slick. Harry focused on preparing Glitch for penetration and was able to mostly block out the odd things happening to his own opening. Cain was a fantastic teacher, he led Harry when the wizard stumbled, calmly telling Glitch to calm down, to be patient and allowing Harry the enough time to get used to it, but not enough to grow nervous.

He pushed into Harry first, going slowly and praising the beautiful sorcerer until the pain passed. Then he guided Harry into Glitch who kept dark eyes focused on them with attentiveness. Cain couldn't wait to drive that consciousness from Glitch's unusually knowledgably eyes.

Once completely sheathed in Glitch, Harry struggled to simply breath. The pleasure and completeness was beyond his comprehension and Harry passively allowed Cain and Glitch to use his body.

Of its own accord, Harry's hand found Cain's and together they found a rhythm on Glitch's bobbing arousal. Glitch's cries joined theirs and they found a momentum.

The connection between them, always pulling on at the back of their minds, grew taut as the climax drew near. It wrapped around them, pulling them closer then physically possible.

Cain put his head on Harry's shoulder and picked up his pace, meeting Glitch's eyes. Glitch's awareness flickered between the men over him. He struggled to meet their gazes as pleasure overwhelmed him. His climax started a chain reaction. Harry shouted and froze deep inside Glitch while Cain groaned and thrust shallowly, allowing Harry to milk his orgasm.

They collapsed on Glitch and in a feat of strength, the zipper head pulled the other men up further onto the bed. They fell asleep that way, headless of the sweat, tears, and cum cooling on their skin.

They awoke in a jumble of limbs and blankets. Harry, the first awake, fell as his feet refused to become untangled and awoke the other two. He whispered apologies and took a hot shower. He smiled as they awoke slowly and watched them as they dressed.

The connection between them had solidified and Harry couldn't wait to test it out. He was more aware of the other two then he'd ever been, almost to the point that he was aware of their exact location. He was confident that he'd never loose Glitch again.

Cain's glower prevented any jokes from DG though Raw purred for nearly an hour after they met up with him.

The passed the time in the city following Glitch around and allowing he and DG to slate their curiosity.

When they met with the golden woman at the tavern, Harry was shocked when the woman introduced him to the Seeker. "Sirius?"

"Harry?"

They hugged, with lots of back slapping and Glitch had to hold in his giggles.

Cain was watching the walls and windows, not likening the man who was subtly blocking the only exit. "Harry" he said lowly in warning but Harry didn't hear him.

"So this is DG?" Sirius asked. "Let me see your palm." DG held out her hand and while Harry and DG were distracted the golden clad woman said "NOW!"

Suddenly the bar erupted in action as six men jumped out and restrained Cain and Raw. Glitch was tied up and silenced.

Sirius quickly dragged DG away from the action and grabbed Harry's wrist. Harry struggled, franticly, to get to Glitch and Sirius hit him over the back of the head, knocking him out.

"Take them to Zero" Harry heard the golden woman say before he lost consciousness.


End file.
